Fairy Tail Back in Time
by Devil Snake Boy
Summary: With his friends dead, Natsu was ready to end it all. But Zeref couldn't allow that, so he gave Natsu a second chance. Now the dragon slayer has a chance to fix his mistakes, but what happens when his family starts asking too many questions? Can they trust him, and can he even trust himself?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 **Snake: Hey guys first Fairy Tail fanfiction and I will tell you know there will not be any OC's like in the Naruto one so don't worry about that. This is a time travel one and I hope you like. Now sit back and enjoy.**

It started with blood, in the ground, on his clothes, and in the air. They were all dead. Erza, Gray, Gajeel, Wendy, Happy, Lucy, even Master. Everyone. He was the cause. Zeref. He killed them all. And Natsu couldn't do anything to save them. It was going great, they had destroyed the eclipse gate and had sent the dragons back to their own time. Everyone was cheering and celebrating when _he_ had come.

Now Natsu was lying on the ground, pain wracking through his body and barely able to hold onto conscience while everyone lay dead around him. The once vibrant eyes he had where now dull and lifeless. Zeref, the man he hated the most stood above him, crying those damned tears of his.

"I told you Natsu, you needed to get stronger in order to kill me. But in the end you were too weak to defeat me, and to save your friends." He stated in the monotone voice Natsu wished would just go away.

"Goodbye Natsu." Zeref started to walk away but a scream made him pause. He turned around to see the fire dragon slayer had pulled his twisted leg back into position. Gasping heavily he somehow managed to stand and face the dark wizard.

"Where are you going? We still have a fight to finish!" He yelled at the man who had slaughtered his friends. He charged at him and swung a fist, trying to connect with Zeref's head. In response, the man simply raised his hand and blasted Natsu in the chest. The boy flew back and slammed into a wall, crumpling on the floor.

"You have no strength Natsu. Just give up and accept your fate." Zeref said walking away once again.

And once again he stopped and turned around. He saw Natsu, struggling to even get up, but still glaring at the dark wizard with a fury only a dragon was capable of.

"Come on do it already, finish me. Everyone else is dead, so just have me join them." The dragon slayer growled. Zeref was quiet for a few seconds before shaking his head.

"No this is your punishment. To be alone for the rest of your life. This is what you get for not killing me when you had the chance." He calmly explained. Natsu slowly stopped

"No...no. Don't...don't do it. Kill me...Just kill me!" He begged.

"No." Was the only reply he received.

"KILL ME!" Natsu screamed.

"No." Silence fell over the area.

"Then I will kill myself." Natsu said. Zeref blinked, his only outward reaction showing his surprise.

"That will escape your punishment, right?" The dragon slayer asked with a scowl. Zeref was still quiet, watching him.

"Well what do you think of that?" Natsu asked, but was met with only silence. This went on for some time until the black wizard squatted down in front of Natsu.

"That will not do. You cannot escape your punishment no matter what you do." Zeref answered.

"And what are you going to do about it? You can't exactly stop me." The other replied with some of his old fire back in his eyes.

"Maybe not but I can simply make your punishment worse." With that the dark wizard reached out and put his hand on Natsu's head. "I will let you see your friends again, and at the same time give you another chance. If you don't get strong enough to defeat me however, then the same thing will happen once again."He closed his eyes and muttered some words.

"W-what are you doing?" Natsu asked, confused by what the other was saying. See his friends again, how? And what did he mean by giving me another chance? He wanted to push Zeref away but he was too weak to do anything about it. After a couple of seconds of whispering words Zeref opened his eyes and stared at Natsu.

"Get strong and kill me or I will kill all of your friends again, then you will die, and I won't be giving you any more chances.." He said before pulling his hand away. But when he pulled away something went with him, Natsu could feel it. There was a flash of black light forcing his eyes closed, a roaring wind, and then silence. The dragon slayer kept his eyes closed waiting for the ache in his body to go away. It seemed as if every nerve in his body was on fire and being sliced in half. The pain suddenly intensified and he groaned in pain.

"Natsu, are you okay?" A voice suddenly spoke up. He gasped and shot up, not noticing he was in a bed instead of on the ground an looked at the speaker.

"I asked are you okay?" The voice asked but Natsu could only mutter one thing before he passed out.

"Happy…"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail and that is actually a good thing. Because I don't know what's going to happen and I'll be excited by each new chapter and episode.**

 **Another thing I am having a poll and the way to be in it is review to answer. The poll will be on Natsu and who should be paired with him. Gray and Juvia will be together and Gajeel and Levy because those pairs are perfect.**

 **Erza: 0**

 **Lucy: 0**

 **Lisanna: 0**

Natsu woke up to a white and clean ceiling that was definitely not his roof. He tried to get up and groaned at the action, feeling his body still aching but not as much as it had earlier. He looked around and saw he was in the medical room of the Fairy Tail guild. He was moving to get out of his bed when the door opened. Master Makarov walked in and looked at Natsu.

"Ah, I see you're awake Natsu. Happy was worried after you collapsed so he brought you here." He explained before walking towards the bed. "How are you doing my boy?" He asked worriedly but the dragon slayer could only stare at the old man.

"G-gramps…" He stuttered out.

"Yes, what is wrong Natsu?" Makarov questioned worriedly.

"I-I thought I saw you die?" Natsu finally managed to get out. The Master blinked in surprise before shaking his head.

"No child, I'm alright. Perhaps you had a nightmare of sorts." He suggested.

"Maybe, so the others are okay? Erza, Gray, Lucy?" He asked with growing agitation. Makarov slowly nodded at each name but frowned at the end.

"Erza and Gray are fine, but I don't know anyone by the name of Lucy. Did you mean Levy?" The old man asked. Natsu shook his head in response.

"No, I mean Lucy. You know, my teammate and one of my best friends?" He answered.

"I don't know that person. Are you sure you're alright? Did Lisanna's death affected you that much?" The master asked trying to put his hand on Natsu's head but the dragon slayer jerked his head away with a hint of fear in his eyes.

"Lisanna's dead?" He questioned with some apprehension. Makarov looked at him with a strange look.

"Yes Natsu, she died a month ago, when she went on the mission with Mirajane and Elfman to stop the you not remember that?" The old man had clear worry in his eyes and Natsu knew he had to do something and fast.

"Yeah, I'm fine Gramps. I was just still waking up, that's all." Natsu said with a fake smile on his face. The master scrutinized him for a few seconds before giving up. The boy was lying he knew that much, but he couldn't tell about what.

'Probably Lisanna's death.' He thought sadly.

"Alright my boy, stay here as long as you want." He said out loud before walking out of the room. As soon as he left the room Natsu's smile fell and was replaced with a frown.

"What's going on?" He muttered out loud. "Happy is back and so are Erza, Gray, and Gramps. The problem is they don't know who Lucy is. What is going on?"

Suddenly he remembered what Zeref had said. "At the same time, give you another chance." Natsu's eyes widened as he realized what had happened.

'H-he sent me back in time? HOW?' He screamed in his head. Zeref had somehow managed to send him back a month after Lisanna was sent to Edolas. He had said that this was Natsu's third chance to kill him and that he had to get stronger, but how?

As he was thinking about that the door slammed open and Erza marched in with Gray right behind her. Happy flew in a second later, and when he saw Natsu awake he cheered and tackled his friend.

"Natsu! I'm glad you're awake!" He yelled, hugging his friend around the chest. While Natsu was petting Happy, Erza walked up and hit him on the head.

"Ow! What was that for?" The dragon slayer asked while rubbing his head in pain.

"For scaring us you idiot. Don't just collapse like that!" Erza scolded him with Gray nodding behind her.

"She's right dude, what were you thinking?" He asked causing Natsu to growl.

"Hey, I couldn't control that! You try not to faint." He argued before blinking in surprise. He had been too busy to hugging Happy and arguing with Gray to notice but now that he looked he saw their appearances. Even though he knew he was in the past it was still surprising to see both of them were little again, with Erza having her armor from when they were kids and her natural red hair shorter than it was in the future.. Gray still had his stripping habit and was only wearing some pants but his brown hair was the same, tasseled and uncontrolled. Looking down at himself he was now wearing a red shirt instead of his black vest with one sleeve. One thing that did relieve him though, was the scarf his father had given him was still wrapped around his neck.

"Hey, guys?" He asked getting their attention.

"What is it?" Erza responded, being blunt as usual. Natsu paused for a moment thinking.

'What am I supposed to do? I can't ask about the future, they'll think I'm nuts!...What if I ask about it like a nightmare? Yeah that will work.' He decided.

"Hey, Flame Breath, are you here with us?" Gray questioned.

"Yeah Popsicle, just thinking. What I wanted to ask was if you had any nightmares last night?" The pink haired boy asked, looking at their reactions. Erza simply blinked and shook her head while Gray froze for a second before answering.

"Y-yeah, but it was something from what happened to me before this." He explained and Natsu nodded like he understood. Really, he did know about Deliora and Gray's master but he wasn't going to say anything.

"Did you have one Natsu?" The redhead asked. The dragon slayer nodded but didn't say anything else.

"Aye! I had one." Happy spoke up, raising his hand.

"What was it buddy?" Natsu asked with some concern.

"Well, I was eating a fish like any normal day and I was in the guild when suddenly…" Here he paused and the other three leaned in to hear. "My fish disappeared!" He wailed with anime tears while the others face planted.

"Jeez, all you care about is food." Gray complained.

"Waaaa! You're mean!" Happy wailed before flying out.

"Wait! I didn't mean that!" The boy yelled after the cat. Natsu laughed at their antics before getting serious.

"How about we go and train?" He asked, remembering Zeref's words.

'I need to train if I'm going to defeat him.' He thought seriously to himself. Gray shrugged which meant yes from him while Erza nodded.

"Sweet, let's have a three way fight and use our magic!" The dragon slayer cheered but Erza raised her hand.

"It'll be to destructive to use our magic so we'll just fight normally." She stated. Between Natsu's dragon slayer magic, Gray's ice make magic, and Erza's requipping we could probably destroy the guild hall.

"But-" Natsu and Gray began.

"No arguments." She threatened, glaring at both of them.

"Aye!" The boys shouted in fear, doing a very good Happy impression.

"Good, now that that's settled, let's go and train." Erza said with a smile before marching out like she had earlier.

"S-she's scary." Gray stammered.

"You haven't seen anything yet." Natsu comments while shivering at thought of everything grown up Erza had done to them when Gray and him had been fighting.

"What do you mean?" Ice boy asked with a confused look on his face.

"Oh, just, I mean she'll probably get worse later on." The dragon slayer gave a weak excuse while mentally panicking. After a couple of seconds his friend nodded.

"Gray, Natsu, get out here now." Erza's voice came drifting into the medical room.

"C-coming!" They stammered before rushing out and into the guild hall. Natsu paused for a moment and looked around. Some tears came to his eyes looking around at all of his guildmates. At the bar was Mira who was serving drinks with Master Makarov drinking on the bar top. Wakaba and Macao were sitting at a table talking about the kids in the guild.

'And they all die soon if I can't get stronger.' He thought grimly. He noticed Gray and Erza about to leave the guild and ran to catch up. They walked to the back part of the guild where they had a beach for fighting.

"Alright, now I'm all fired up!" Natsu cheered.

"I'll kick both of your buts." Gray responded, starting his old stripping habit again and taking his shirt off.

"Well then. let's begin." Erza stated while taking a pose. Everything was quiet for a moment with the only thing being heard was the waves crashing on the shore. The stillness was broken by the battle cries of both Gray and Natsu as they charged the redhead. Normally they would fight each other but when Erza was with them they ignored each other for the chance to sock her though they never did.

'But I'm better now.' Natsu thought with a grin as they reached Erza.

Gray swung his fist at her but she simply grabbed his wrist and threw him behind her. Natsu pretended to throw a punch but suddenly dropped down for a sweeping kick. Erza blinked in surprise before she leaped over the kick and landed in a push up position. Without a pause, she mule kicked the pink haired boy and sent him flying straight at Gray who was just getting up. He looked up just in time to see a flash of pink before it collided with him. Gray lay there dazed for a second before looking over a Natsu.

"Hey Flame Brain, what do you think you're doing running into me like that." He barked before getting up.

"Listen Frosty, I didn't do that on purpose. The last thing I would want to do is to be near you." The dragon slayer yelled back. A glaring match started between the two with sparks flying at them.

"Yaaaaaa!" A scream sounded out and they looked up to see Erza about to punch both of them.

"Help." They manage to get out before they meet the sand face first. While they were knocked out, Erza was above them wiping her hands together.

"Well that was good exercise, and good move earlier Natsu." She stated then turned around and started to walk away.

"Wait! Let's fight again." Natsu called, starting to get up again.

"No, we've done enough for today." The redhead said.

"I want to fight!" He screamed out, running at her. Before he could reach her though, he tripped over his own feet and fell on the beach. She looked back at him for a second before continuing to walk away. Natsu got back up and tried to run again but he only tripped over his own feet.

"Damnit, what happened?" He asked himself. He looked back at Gray but he was still out cold so he couldn't have tripped him.

"Whatever, Gray's out cold so he can't train with me and Erza won't either so I guess I should go and train at the house." He spoke to himself. With that decision he walked over to the hut Lisanna and him had built. When he reached it he paused for a second to look inside and faintly smiled.

"Don't worry Lisanna, Lucy. I'll get you both back, just give me two years. That's all I ask." He said out loud to the stone that was a memorial to her. He then walk to the side of the house where there was several wooden targets set up. There was also a big rock that Natsu went to.

'Now it's time to train with my magic.' He thought before before taking a deep breath.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!" He yelled while spewing a breath of fire at the stone. A roaring inferno came out of his mouth and spewed over the rock making it red hot. Natsu grinned before moving on to his next attack.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" A massive flame covered his hand and when it collided with the rock it broke apart on impact. The dragon slayer stared for a moment before cheering and dancing around.

'Yes! I still have my magic. I guess that's one thing Zeref, didn't want to change. Now to work on my fighting again.' He thought before going to one of the targets. He threw several punches and kicks at it but they seemed off. Whenever he tried to reach where he wanted he would miss his mark and end up lower.

'What is happening, I keep missing my target.' Natsu grumbled before looking down in concentration. He looked at his feet and then an idea hit him.

'That's why I can't coordinate anything. I'm so used to my old height that I keep going farther than I should. Great I have to start over again.' He thought glumly. A moment later he clenched his fist in anger. He thought about how today he had been messing with Gray like old times and then how Zeref had blown Gray's chest out.

'I can't tell them anything about it. I need to protect them and I'll do whatever it takes to save them even if it means my death.' He swore before throwing himself into his training with an intense ferocity.

 **Snake: Hey guys hope your enjoying it. I love these time travel stories and also revenge stories were the good guys are evil. Read and Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 **Hey guys going to post on weekends now! Here is the poll so far. One more thing to mention. Natsu is going to be 14 after Lisanna's death and 16 when he meets Lucy.**

 **Erza: 0**

 **Lucy: 1**

 **Lisanna: 0**

Two months had passed since Zeref had sent Natsu back into the past. During that time the members of the guild rarely saw Natsu. When they did he wad tears in his clothes and mud on his face. He didn't stop very long at the guild however. All he did was stop for something to eat before going back out to whatever he was doing. He had started to do this after his day after the medical room and no one could convince him to stay. A week after the hospital the master walked up to him while the dragon slayer was stuffing his mouth.

"My boy where have you been? Everyone's been worried about you, even Happy is concerned." Makarov said. Natsu swallowed his food and looked at him.

"It's okay gramps, I've just been training. I need to get stronger after all." He commented with his signature grin.

"But it looks like you haven't slept in days! And look at you! Your shirt is torn open and you have grass and mud everywhere." The old man exclaimed, frowning at his child's appearance.

"It's fine, I've had worse than some tears and stains." Natsu said brushing him off. Makarov stared at him for a little while before sighing in defeat.

"Alright, but if you need help then let me know." He said before walking away.

Everyone was even more shocked by Natsu when he had walked up to Levy, the resident book worm, two weeks later.

"Levy, um, can I borrow a book on enchantments?" Natsu asked causing Levy to fall off her chair in shock.

"You want to borrow what?" She yelled, stunned. Everyone got quiet by her outburst and turned to look at the conversation.

"I mean, can I borrow a book on enchantments?" Natsu repeated with a frown.

"Um, yeah sure what kind are you looking for?" Levy asked reaching inside her bag of books.

"Just general enchantments, like sleep and others." Natsu decided and accepting a book she handed to him and sitting down at the table.

"What are you needing the book for Natsu?" Happy asked, flying over with a fish in his hands.

"Just research." Natsu replied.

"WHAT!" Everyone screamed out causing the pink haired boy to cover his ears in pain.

"Ow! What was that for?" He asked with his ears still covered.

"Forget that! What do you mean it's for research? You don't do research." Cana demanded walking up to the table.

"I'm looking up stuff to get stronger. Geez calm down." Natsu said, brushing her off and going back to the book. Cana just stared at him with the rest of the guild while Erza walked up and slammed her fist into his head.

"Damnit Erza, knock it off." The dragon slayer complained, rubbing his head in agony.

"Not until you start talking, why the sudden change? You never want to read. I had to drag you away to teach you how to read and write." She replied, cracking her knuckles menacingly.

"Yeah because you hit me every time I messed up! And besides I just thought it was best to understand how other magics worked." Natsu argued back causing everyone to blink.

"Since when do you think pyro?" Gray asked, butting into the conversation.

"I always did. I just feel like being smarter than a human freezer." Natsu yelled at him, butting heads with him.

"Oh yeah well at least I'm not a human barbeque." Gray retorted. Before the other could respond they both hit the floor with a certain redhead standing over them.

"Knock it off both of you." Erza scolded them which ended the conversation over the book but Natsu would sometimes ask Levy for another book to borrow.

Today everyone was sitting at the guild drinking and relaxing. Erza was having her usual slice of strawberry cake while Gray was fighting with some of the other members of the guild. Makarov was on the bar again drinking while Mira served drinks. Suddenly Happy flew in.

"Hey cat where's Natsu?" Gray asked, taking a break from fighting.

"I don't know I haven't seen him all day." The winged feline said sadly.

"What do you mean Happy? Didn't you see him this morning when you woke up?" Levy asked, walking over to him.

"No, he was gone before I got up. I'm worried about him." Happy sniffled.

"Don't worry he's probably fine. He's most likely doing more training. He's been training insanely the past two months after all." Mira added.

"Maybe but he usually waits until I head to the guild." The cat argued.

"Gray and I will go look for him if it makes you feel better, we'll go looking for him." Erza offered and immediately Happy was happy while Gray had a shocked expression and immediately began arguing.

"Wait I didn't agree to th-" He started before getting cut off from the redhead's fist in his gut.

"Alright Gray, let's go." She ordered and dragged out an unconscious Gray.

"We'll look too!" Levy and Cana exclaimed before running out with Happy following them. Makarov looked around at the others for a moment before speaking.

"Alright everyone let's go find our missing family member!" He cheered and the rest roared in approval before charging out of the guild in a rush.

"Macao, go get Porlyusica." The master ordered and everyone jumped to work.

"Natsu my boy. I hope you're alright." He said to himself.

 **-A few hours later-**

Slowly members of Fairy Tail began trickling in, looking dejected. They all reported the same thing to Makarov, no one had been able to find Natsu. Most of them had searched around town and in the woods while people like Mirajane and her brother Elfman, searched different areas like the house Lisanna and Natsu had built but couldn't find him. Happy had gone back to his and the dragon slayer's house but he wasn't there either.

"This doesn't make sense!" Cana yelled out in frustration, slamming her magic cards upon the table.

"What's wrong my child?" The master asked looking over at her and Levy who were sitting in a corner of the guild after failing to find Natsu.

"Well I tried to use my cards to locate him, but it isn't working." She explained.

"Could he have done that himself?" The old man questioned but Levy shook her head.

"Not unless he was getting training from someone or checked out books from the library that had details about tracking enchantments which I don't think he did either of those." She theorized.

"And why's that Levy?" Mirajane asked, walking into the room.

"Because he keeps asking me for books to borrow and the way he is when he walks in it looks like he just threw himself at his training with no actual plan." The bookworm explained.

"Do you think someone might have kidnapped him?" Happy asked fearfully.

"A real man shouldn't go and take kids!" Elfman exclaimed in a manly way.

"I don't think he was taken but I am worried about him. What if he's hurt somewhere?" Mira asked worriedly.

"All we can do is wait and hope he is safe." Makarov answered with a small frown on his face. Silence reigned in the guild hall for a while with everyone each lost in his or her own thoughts and worries over the young dragon slayer. Suddenly the doors opened and everyone turned with a look of joy upon their faces. The expressions slowly turned to one of disappointment when they saw it was only Gray and Erza who had their heads bowed in defeat.

I'm guessing you didn't find him either." The old man asked with a sigh.

"No master we didn't. We searched everywhere we could think of, the beach, the forest, even his private training grounds but we didn't see him." Gray said sadly.

"It looks like we was fighting with someone though." Erza added and everyone looked at them.

"What do you mean, with whom?" Cana questioned with a confused expression on her face.

"I don't know but when we went to his training area the entire place was demolished. All of the rocks were obliterated, the grass burnt, and the trees splintered." Gray explained, clenching his fists in anger.

"Could Natsu have done it himself?" Levy asked.

"No it was too powerful for the level of strength he is at." Erza argued and a hush fell over the guild.

"We have to save him!" Mira yelled, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, he's a real man." Elfman agreed.

"Let's go!" Gray added. The rest of the guild was yelling and adding their agreements and were ready to go out again and hunt the pink haired boy.

They started to rush for the door but as they did it slowly creaked open, revealing a tall figure cloaked in blue. He had six staves on his back and a mask covering the bottom half of his face. The top half was hidden by a cap which led to every inch of the man's face being covered except for his eyes. Everyone was shocked by this man's sudden appearance but what most shocked them was the boy with a head of pink hair that they saw in the man's arms.

"Natsu!" Mira gasped covering her mouth in shock. The boy looked like he had been through hell and back. His shirt was torn to shreds with a jagged gash across his chest from his left shoulder all the way down to his right hip. It was bandaged with pieces of blue cloth but was still bleeding profusely. Natsu's pants were signed at the bottom with black along the edges. His hair was coated in ash and had turned into a grayish-pink color. The worst part was that the boy had his eyes closed and was shivering uncontrollably.

"My god what happened to him?" Levy asked.

"He was trying to fight something that was above his level of strength." The man replied and everyone turned their attention to him.

"Who are you and what did you do to him?" Gray demanded.

"I did nothing as to who I am Makarov can answer that question." The veiled man answered with barely a glance at the ice-make wizard. He brushed past the group and walked up to the old man.

"Natsu needs serious attention and soon." He stated and was given a nod as a reply.

"Jet, go get Porlyusica. Put Natsu in the medical room in the meantime. Levy go take care of him." The master ordered and before anyone could blink Jet had used his magic to rush to the healer's hut while the man went to put Natsu in a bed with Levy right behind him. Once they had disappeared into the room, Gray rounded on Makarov.

"How do we know that he didn't hurt Natsu? We can't trust him! We don't even know who he is!" He yelled at the old man who simply took a drink from his ale before meeting the others eyes. Gray immediately shrank back in alarm from the ferocity the master had in his gaze.

"Just because you don't know him doesn't mean someone else doesn't and he didn't have to bring Natsu here if he had hurt him but he did anyway, proving he's not an enemy. Another thing I should mention is he is a loyal member of Fairy Tail and an S-class wizard as well. Anything else you would like to add?" Makarov asked with a cool and cutting voice. When Gray shook his head he sighed and took another sip from his cup. The entrance to the guild opened again and everyone turned to see Jet back with Porlyusica the pink haired healer.

"What happened?" She demanded striding into the room, not bothering to look at anyone other than the old man.

"Natsu was badly injured, how, we don't know. He's in the infirmary now." He replied and with a stiff nod she turned and entered the room the dragon slayer had been brought in earlier. A moment later Levy and the man walked out the door and it slammed behind them.

"Now that Natsu is being taken care of, let's find out what happened." The master stated before turning to the masked man.

"Now how did you find him Mystogan?"

 **Snake: And… Cut! Cliffhanger people you'll have to wait for more and please enjoy. And for those who knew it was Mystogan good job.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 **Thank you to my followers and those who review. I love that you care so much. Here is the poll so far. Last note, I will be trying to be posting on Saturdays now instead of Wednesdays.**

 **Lucy: 5**

 **Lisanna: 1**

 **Erza: 7**

"Now how did you find him Mystogan?" The master of Fairy Tail asked looking towards the S-class wizard that had brought in the injured dragon slayer. He nodded in return and looked to the other guild members who were waiting for an explanation.

"I was finished with an S-rank mission and was heading back to the guild for another job." He began.

 **-Earlier in the day-**

Mystogan was walking down a path that led to the town of Magnolia. He had about a mile to go until he reached it, but he didn't mind since he liked to be alone anyways. His most recent quest had been to clear a town that was being terrorized by a dark guild. With the level of strength he was at, it had been a quick and easy job so he was walking at a more leisurely pace.. Suddenly he paused and looked around. He could tell something was off but he wasn't sure what it was.

A screech suddenly ripped through the air, scattering the birds and causing Mystogan to spin around and start running towards the sound.

'That sounds like a wyvern, but what is it doing so close to the road? It'll be hard to fight it.' He thought to himself before doubling his speed. He came out onto a clearing and stopped in his tracks. In front of him wasn't one wyvern but five in total. All of them were shrieking and trying to attack something in the middle of the pack. Looking down Mystogan saw something that surprised him even more.

Natsu was in the middle fighting all of the beasts at once. He was throwing flames in every direction and was jumping every which way. What bothered Mystogan the most however was the amount of magic the boy was using.

'That much magic is too much for his age! It will kill him at this rate!' He thought grimly. He was about to step in but when he looked at Natsu again, he stopped himself. Even though his shirt was torn apart and he had bruises all over, the dragon slayer had a furious look in his eyes and a savage grin on his face.

"Come on you bastards, is that all you got?" He roared challengingly. The wyverns shrieked in response and dove at him. Natsu's smile grew broader and he moved into a stance.

"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!" He screamed and began to rotate his hands. Flames came from his fists and became giant whips. He whipped them on the ground before charging.

"ALL OF YOU DIE!" He yelled. The flames wrapped around the wyverns and slammed them against each other, obliterating his foes. The fire reached high into the air turning the sky gold.

When the attack ended the four wyverns were on the ground, burnt from the attack. Natsu was panting from the attack but had a smile on his face.

"Take that!" He said doing a victory dance. At this point Mystogan decided to make his presence known.

"Natsu." He called. The boy turned around and looked towards him with a surprised expression.

"Mystogan? I thought you were, oh that's right." He mumbled. The other wizard raised his eyebrow but didn't comment. Both of them were quiet for a few minutes with Natsu thinking and Mystogan waiting.

"So what are you doing here?" The dragon slayer finally asks.

"I was done with my job so I was heading back for another. Why are you out here fighting that many wyverns at once?" Was the reply he received. When he heard that Natsu suddenly looked around nervously.

"W-well I was just walking around and I saw them and they attacked me." He said with a grin while scratching the back of his head.

"You were walking more than a mile from the town?" Mystogan questioned causing Natsu to freeze.

"It was a long walk?" Natsu suggested weakly but the other man just kept looking at him until the dragon slayer sighed.

"Ok, I was hunting them." He admitted.

"That was much too dangerous for someone at your age." The S-class wizard stated and was about to go on but a noise stopped him. He looked over to the kid and saw that he had his fists clenched in rage and was growling while his pupils were slitted, like a dragon.

"Someone my age? You think I'm weak because I'm young? You know nothing!" He said.

"I think that I have been around longer and I understand more things." Mystogan argued.

"So? It doesn't mean I'm weak and it doesn't mean you understand everything in this goddamn world!" Natsu shouted. Before he turned around punched a tree. His fist went right through the wood and blew a chunk of the trunk out. It slowly creaked before toppling over. It crashed and hit the ground with a boom, shaking the ground. The S-class wizard stared at the destruction for a few seconds before turning to the dragon slayer.

"I may not know everything but I feel like you are inexperienced enough to do something like this." He explained, motioning to the beasts that had been defeated.

"And what do you know of how my life has been lived? You are never around in the guild and when you are you put us all to sleep. So what happened to you and PantherLily was bad, but at least all of your friends weren't killed in front of you!" Natsu screamed.

"H-how do you know that name?" Mystogan stuttered out, with his eyes as wide. When he heard that, the dragon slayer looked to the side with a scowl.

 **-Present time-**

"Wait he said all of his friends died in front of him?" Makarov questioned, interrupting the story.

"Yes and that I did not know about him and I hoped you knew what he meant." Mystogan answered.

"No I do not. What about the name he mentioned, PantherLily? Who is that?" The old man asked which the other man stiffened to.

"He, he was an old friend of mine. He doesn't live on this continent so I don't know how Natsu knows him." He replied. The master nodded and while he was thinking, the others were talking about what they had learned.

"How the hell did Natsu manage to take out five wyverns at once?!" Gray demanded to the others.

"I don't know. That attack must of been pretty powerful." Levy guessed while quickly flicking through her different books.

"He was so manly by fighting all of those beasts!" Elfman said.

"He was most impressive." Erza agreed.

"But what did he mean by seeing his friends killed?" Mira asked in a hushed whisper. At that comment the rest stopped there speculations and were quiet.

"I thought he grew up alone with Igneel?" Gray pondered with a frown.

"Maybe it was something before that?" Erza suggested.

"But he said he didn't remember anything else." Levy objected.

"Maybe he kept it from us, he has been acting strangely lately." Mira added.

"A real man doesn't hide his feelings!" Elfman shouted. Cana slapped his head a second later.

"None of that manly stuff right now this is serious." She scolded. Everyone was silent for a while each lost in their own thoughts.

"Everyone.' Makarov said, gaining the guild members attention. 'We don't know what Natsu meant so please refrain from questioning him. Please continue your story Mystogan." The S-class wizard nodded and restarted his tale.

 **-An hour ago-**

"H-how do you know that name?" Mystogan stuttered out, with his eyes as wide. When he heard that, the dragon slayer looked to the side with a scowl.

"How do you know that name?!" Mystogan yelled when Natsu didn't respond.

"It doesn't matter." He muttered in response. The older wizard strode over to the younger and gripped his shoulders.

"It does matter. tell me!" The S-class wizard screamed at the other.

"Get your hands off of me!" Natsu growled while shoving the other away. Before Mystogan could do anything else they heard a chuckling coming from behind them.

"Well well well, we finally caught up to you." A voice spoke. Both of the Fairy Tail wizards turned to look at a group of men with most of them holding weapons.

"Who are these losers?" The dragon slayer asked with a sneer.

"The dark guild I destroyed, Crying Demon." The other responded frowning.

"You may have surprised us when you first attacked but know the tables have turned and we'll destroy both of you fairies." The apparent guy in charge laughed.

"Yeah right, like you weaklings could do anything." Natsu scoffed.

"We're stronger than you think! In fact when we're done with you, I think we might pay your guild a visit. I wonder what it'll be like to hear their screams of pain?" The leader suggested and the other members of Crying Demon started guffawing.

"You are going to hurt my family?" The boy asked. The criminals stopped chuckling when they saw the pink haired boy's expression.

It was one of absolute fury and the promise of extreme pain. The child's eyes were slitted with an unbridled rage and had a small set of scales around his eyes and on his arms. His hands were clenched tight enough that blood was seeping through his fingers from where his nails had pierced his skin. The most terrifying thing though, was his teeth which were fangs were bared in a snarl with a soft hissing coming from it.

"I won't let you!" Natsu roared, charging the entire group of dark wizards.

"Wait they're too powerful!" Mystogan called but his warning went unheeded as the dragon slayer continued to attack with his flames surrounding his fists.

"Don't underestimate us!" A random thug shouted and the others cheered. Before they could even move, the boy was suddenly in the leader's face with a fist knocked back. The punch impacted and threw the man through the gang. He went flying back until he impacted a tree that broke from the weight.

"W-what the hell?" A man next to Natsu called out. He froze a second later when the dragon slayer shifted his gaze to him.

"I'll destroy you all!" He cried spinning around. His fire lashed out and whipped the men surrounding him. They all flew back with burns on their bodies and slammed into their guildmates.

"Attack idiots, attack!" The leader shouted, getting up and drawing his sword. The others yelled in agreement and started to prepare several spells.

"Natsu get back and let me handle them." Mystogan called, preparing one of his staffs. He stopped however when Natsu shot him a glare.

"Stay out of my way unless you want some of this too!" The boy growled, punching another dark wizard.

"I'll take care of the brat." A man says and steps out of the crowd. He was bigger than the rest of them with about as many muscles as Elfman. He had a sneer on his face and was cracking his knuckles. The dragon slayer simply turned to him and snarled at the challenge.

"You seem pretty weak to me. My name's Arin and it's time to meet my strength magic!" The guy called Arin bragged. A magic seal appeared in front of him and his body started to expand. His arms grew bigger and he became even taller. His legs grew as thick as tree trunks and his chest became so big his shirt ripped.

"Yeah get him Arin!" The men called.

"Time to die!" Arin cried and charged the boy. He disappeared for a second before flashing in front of Natsu.

"Take this, Might Magic: Destructive Fist!" The thug's punch became covered in a black brass knuckle. He connected with the boy's face, throwing him back several feet and landing at Mystogan's feet.

"It seems I was right, you are a weak little brat." Arin taunted with a grin. His smile faded when Natsu got back up. The dragon slayer stood up and stared at the dark wizard before popping his neck.

"It's about time you weaklings started fighting back." He said with a dark grin. His enemies took a step back at the feral look he had.

"H-how, I hit him with my strongest attack?" Arin asked stumbling back.

"Now I'll show you what a real punch feels like!" He snarled. He once again charged the group but now with double his previous speed. He slowed right in front of Arin with a savage grin.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" He roared, punching the man in the gut. He sailed back and landed several yards away in a heap.

"You'll pay for that! Everyone we can take them both out with one big attack!" One of the dark wizards called and the others yelled in agreement. They once more prepared their spells.

"Really you think you can stop a dragon?" Natsu asked.

"You're no dragon! Now on three, one." The same man said.

"True I'm something much worse." The dragon slayer growled, causing the man to pause in hesitation before continuing.

"Two!" He shouted.

"Do you want to know what I am? I'm a dragon slayer who will do whatever it takes to protect my family!" The boy roared.

"One!" The dark wizard called. Several blasts of magic were released and thrown at Natsu. In response he simply snarled and summoned flames to his hands. They flickered before enveloping him and creating a shape above him. Mystogan gazed in awe at the form he saw.

'He looks like a true dragon!' He thought in amazement.

" **Secret Dragon Slayer Art:** Crimson Lotus Exploding Flame Edge!" Natsu bellowed, unleashing his attack. The flames a giant gold color, flew at the dark guild with a brilliant light. It connected with the other attacks and fought for dominance. It only lasted for a second, however before the dragon slayer's magic broke through and blew through the men. The flames whipped out at all of the enemies and obliterated the gang. When the fire finally died down, the dark guild was scattered around the field, burnt and defeated.

"That's for threatening my family." The boy said before turning around to face the other Fairy Tail wizard.

"W-what happened to you?" Mystogan asked with a stunned expression. Natsu frowned in confusion before looking down at himself to see scales on his arms. He blinked in surprise a couple of times before closing his eyes. He took several deep breaths, the scales on his arms and around his eyes slowly faded away. When he opened his eyes, the slitted pupils were also gone replaced with Natsu's normal look. He looked down again and grinned before falling to one knee.

"That was pretty exhausting." He muttered to himself, standing up. He reached for the air, stretching for a couple of seconds before looking towards Mystogan. He was still staring at Natsu with a shocked expression.

"What's bothering you?" The dragon slayer asked the other wizard.

"What was that power?" The S-class responded. The boy's expression turned serious when he heard that question.

"It's a very destructive and powerful magic that can only be used by dragon slayers. It's called-" He was explaining until he was interrupted.

"Natsu, behind you!" Mystogan shouted, but he was too late.

It seemed to happen in slow motion. Natsu turned around and looked to find Crying Demon's leader swinging his sword. Before the dragon slayer could do anything else the sword slashed through him like it was cutting through butter. It went straight through Natsu's chest from his left shoulder to his right hip. Nothing happened for a second, then splashes of blood erupted from the child. He crumpled on the ground, face first while the dark wizard stood over him.

"Take that, monster." He sneered before collapsing as well. Mystogan was frozen for a moment before running to the boy. He turned him over and looked at the wound. It was leaking blood profusely and was pretty deep. The S-class wizard tore off his cloak and started to rip it into strips. Once he was done he started to wrap them around the dragon slayer who had started to look very pale.

"Hang in there Natsu." Mystogan coxed, continuing to bandage the unconscious boy. After he finished he gently lifted the boy into his arms and started to run towards Magnolia.

 **-Present Time-**

"And that's what happened." He finished in front of the stunned guild. Everyone's eyes were wide in either amazement or horror. Even the master, who could control his emotions, looked upset at the story he had just heard. The silence was broken by the door to the infirmary opening to reveal Porlyusica. She had a haggard expression but that changed when she saw everyone looking at her.

"H-how is he?" Mira asked clenching her hands in worry.

"He'll need to rest for a while but he'll be fine." The medicine women answered with a reassuring smile. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at the news that their guild member would be safe.

"Is he conscious right now?" Makarov asked with a gruff voice.

"No, and he's too weak to answer any questions." She replied. Mystogan then walked up to her.

"I would like to stay with him until he gets better." He requested. Porlyusica hesitated for a moment before she nodded.

"If he wakes up don't bother him too much, like I said he still needs rest." She warned and the S-class wizard nodded in response. He walked towards the room Natsu was sleeping in but paused when he heard a voice call out.

"We should see him too!" Gray demanded, pushing his way forward. Erza walked up next to him and nodded in agreement.

"Not right now. Too many people at once can be bad for him. You two can see him later." The master decided. Mystogan had reached the door to the room by then and shut it behind him. Looking around he saw the young dragon slayer resting in a bed at the far end of the infirmary. The strips of cloth that had been used had been replaced with real bandages. Natsu no longer pale nor did he shake but he still seemed worn out. The man walked up to his bed and pulled up a chair. He sat down and watched the boy sleep. He seemed to be talking in his sleep, so Mystogan leaned in to hear him.

"No don't, don't hurt them. Not again, no, no. D-damn you, z-zeref." Natsu muttered. Mystogan sat back in confusion.

"Hurt who? And why did he say Zeref?" He asked himself.

Suddenly, the child's eyes snapped open and he sat up. He looked around frantically before focusing on the only other person in the room.

"Where are we?" He asked, absentmindedly rubbing his head.

"We're at the guild. You got hurt and I took you here. Do you remember that?" The older wizard asked. Natsu shook his head in reply.

"All I remember is the fight with Crying Demon and then you warning me. After that all I felt was a pain in my chest." He explained before looking down. When he saw the bandages, his eyes widened in surprise before he gingerly touched them. As soon as he did he winced in pain and withdrew his hand. He once more looked to Mystogan.

"Thanks for bringing me here. So how come you're in here" He said, lying back down again.

"I need to talk with you about something important." The S-class wizard replied.

"Yeah what is it?" The dragon slayer asked. Mystogan leaned in until he was face to face with him. Natsu looked at him confused until he heard the question. His eyes showed how panicked he was but he couldn't go anywhere, leaving him to deal with Mystogan's question.

"How do you know PantherLily?"

 **Snake: Ok guys that one was freaking long but I hope you enjoyed. Read and review!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 **Alright guys, the poll is over and Erza wins! Thank you for reviewing and following. For one of the readers, I don't know if I will make Natsu as strong as Gildarts, we will have to see about that later.**

 **Lucy: 12**

 **Lisanna: 1**

 **Erza: 13**

Natsu and Mystogan stared at each other with the dragon slayer sitting in the bed with a hesitant look while the other sat in a chair with an expression resembling a glare. They continued their stare off for a few more moments.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Natsu finally said. The S-class wizard continued to stare at him, not saying anything. The pink haired boy scratched his head nervously.

"Are you going to say anything?" He questioned.

"How do you know PantherLily?" Mystogan asked again.

"I told you I don't know what you're talking ab-" The dragon slayer began.

"Stop lying." The S-class wizard interrupted. Natsu stopped and stared at him in shock.

"What you think, I don't know when someone is lying?" Mystogan guessed.

"N-no it's not that. I-I just don't understand why you don't believe me." The boy stammered.

'How does he know when I lie?' He thought to himself, panicking. He was snapped out of his thoughts by the other wizard who slammed his hands on the bed and stood up.

"TELL ME HOW YOU KNOW PANTHERLILY!" Mystogan shouted.

"NO, I WON'T TELL YOU!" Natsu shouted back. He was prepared to shout some more but the S-class wizard's face made him stop. His eyes had a look of triumph on his face as if he had won and the dragon slayer realized, he _had_ won. Before he could say anything to deny what he had just said, the door slammed open and Porlyusica marched in.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING YELLING AT THE PATIENT'S?!" She demanded, waving a broom around. Mystogan backed away from the dragon slayer and started walking towards the door.

"My apologies if we were loud." He said, beginning to walk out.

"Y-yeah we were just having a talk." Natsu added, keeping an eye on the broom wielding women. She ignored him and just continued to look at the S-class wizard in suspicion. Natsu was starting to relax when Mystogan added something that made him freeze.

"We'll continue this conversation after you get better. Perhaps someone more private." He said before leaving. The dragon slayer collapsed back into his bed, worried about what was happening.

'What am I going to say when I get out of here?' He thought, starting to drift off again.

'I can't bring anyone else into this. It's my burden to bear.' Was his last thought before he fell asleep.

In his dreams he saw his younger self that was with his father Igneel again and they were walking through the forest while he trailed behind them.

"Dad, where are we going?" His dream self asked as they walked along.

"There's more to life than just fighting and training." The dragon responded, not answering the question.

"But fighting is fun." Younger Natsu wined, punching the air. Igneel chuckled before turning serious.

"Yes but what I need to show you is important." He stated and the boy nodded. They continued walking until they came out of the woods onto a hill. It wasn't very high but it allowed them to see over the land under them. On the left was a sprawling meadow with several flowers and old, decayed graves around it. On the other side was a more depressing sight.

There was a group of ruins that might of once been a small village. Now though they were only broken husks of their former selves. It looked like no one was living there anymore but all Natsu could stare at was the destruction. The houses were crushed and broken with collapsed walls and roofs having fallen in while others had nothing but their frames remaining. In the middle of the village. there looked like what might of been a town hall but know it was completely flattened as if something big had landed on it. Around the village the ground was scorched black, without any plants or other signs of life near it.

"W-what happened here?" The young dragon slayer asked, gazing in horror at the damage. Igneel was quiet for a moment before answering.

"Once dragons roamed the earth, enjoying life and flying free in the skies. After some time humans came along and began to build houses and settlements. We thought they were like ants, weak and insignificant. They in turn, feared us and though of us as gods. Dragons would prey on the humans and they would fight us. This went on for some time until some of us decided to help the humans and teach them about the dragon slayer art leading to a massive war." He explained. He paused and the boy had to ask something.

"You've told me about this though, what's the point of the history lesson and what does that have to do with this village?" He said, putting his hands behind his head. The dragon sighed at his son's actions.

"Just listen little one. At the beginning of the war most of the dragon's were against the humans, believing they were weak and pathetic.' Here he paused before continuing. 'And at the beginning, I was one of those who didn't side with humans." Natsu turned around in shock.

"What?! Why?!" He asked. His expression was one of surprise and confusion. Igneel continued to look at the village, avoiding his son's gaze.

"I was a younger dragon then, and a more foolish one as well. I thought that the humans were insignificant and needed to be taught a lesson in power. I would attack cities, burning them down, scorching the ground with fire, and making the air burn with smoke and ash. I was proud of what I did, hearing the screams of terror and see the little people run. It gave me a thrill to have the power to strike fear in them. I did this for some time, but one day a town made me stop attacking and decide to help the humans, this town." He explained.

"What happened here?" The young Natsu quietly asked.

"One night I came to this town, planning on destroying it. Even to this day, I remember every single detail about that day and the horror that came with it. When I arrived, I landed at the middle of the village and started to attack. I burned and destroyed and broke through everything in my way. When I finished I stopped to bask over my achievement. I looked around and saw fires burning throughout the city with smoke rising in the sky. I could smell the houses becoming charcoal and ash. But what grabbed my attention the most was the noise. At first, I could hear the humans screaming, running into the night. Then the buildings collapsing from the fire and the wreckage I had caused. The last thing I had heard though made me pause. A sound I had never heard before, something strange and saddening came drifting out of the smoke and the fire. I was curious about it so I walked over to the source of the noise. I came across a small girl, gazing at a women on the ground. She was dead. The girl was making the sound and had water coming from her eyes. When I came closer she looked up and stared at me. I was still wondering about the noise and the water only made me more curious so I decided to speak to her." Igneel said, walking down the hill towards the village.

"Do you remember what you talked about?" The dragon slayer asked, trying to catch up with his father.

"Like it was yesterday." The dragon replied, reminiscing on that night.

 **-Flashback-**

"What is that noise that you are making human?" He asked the small child. She sniffled several times before answering.

"I-I'm crying." She said gazing at him tearfully, not even caring that she was talking to a dragon. Igneel looked on at her in confusion.

"What, is crying?" He asked hesitantly. The girl stared at him so shocked by his question, she stopped crying.

"How do you not know what crying is?!" She gasped. The dragon growled in anger.

"I have never seen crying before so don't bother me with trivial questions like that!" He hissed and the girl quickly nodded.

'She thought she could make me look foolish, ha!' He thought to himself.

"W-why are you talking to me?" The child asked fearfully. Igneel blinked in surprise at the sudden question.

'Why _am_ I talking to this human?' He questioned himself. 'Am I really petty to want to understand these creatures? No!'

"I simply wanted to know what that obnoxious noise was and why you made it." He said to the girl. She suddenly glared at him with such a ferocity that the dragon actually stepped back in surprise.

"Crying is for when you're upset and I'm sad because my mommy is dead and you killed her!" She shrieked at him. He looked down at the woman's body before gazing back at the girl with a strange look in his eyes.

"Why do you care so much about another human?" He asked. The small child just looked at him with anger but surprisingly, pity as well.

"I care about her because I loved her and she cared about me. Have you never had anyone to love?" She asked.

"Of course, my friends care for me." Igneel said, looking away from the insufferable girl.

"But do you have real love?" She asked, walking up to the dragon's snout.

"What do you mean real love? You should answer that question carefully." He growled but the girl was giving him a sad smile.

"Love is having someone you care about that also cares about you. It also means that you would do anything to keep them safe and would protect them with your life. Do you have anyone like that?" She explained, placing a hand on the dragon's nose. They stayed like that for some time, the girl gazing at the dragon with a smile while he thought about her question.

"No. No I don't have someone I love." Igneel admitted, bowing his head.

"Do you have any family?" The child asked.

"I grew up alone." He replied. She continued to watch him until the dragon looked up at her again.

"Are you enjoying my suffering human?" He growled, baring his fangs at her. To his surprise she shook her head.

"No, I feel sorry for you and I want to help you." She said, rubbing his snout. He stared at her for several minutes before scowling.

"Why would you help me with anything? I'm a dragon and you're a petty human." He scoffed. The girl scowled at him.

"And what makes you better than me?" She demanded.

"It's pretty obvious isn't it? I'm bigger, I can fly, and I can breath fire. What can a little insect like you do?" He asked.

"I can run, I can build, I can live, and most importantly I can dream. You can do that too so don't say you're any better than me!" The child yelled. Igneel rose onto his hind legs and roared at the sky. It echoed across the land, making the trees shake and bend from the force. The people running away shook in fear from the knowledge that a dragon was nearby and it was angry. When he finished his roar, he fell back onto his front legs. The ground shook when he landed, throwing dust into the air. He looked back down at the girl and saw she didn't react. She just continued to glare at him.

"You're either a very brave human or a very stupid one." He admitted.

"The only thing I am is not afraid of you. Stop acting like someone who can boss me around and treat me like an equal! If you don't no one will care about you!" She demanded. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"What are you blabbering about?" He asked.

"You need to be nice to people if you want them to love you." She explained.

"Why would I care about being nice to you?" He snorted.

"Because I can love you." She suggested. Igneel stared at her in amazement.

'I've destroyed her village and killed her mother but not only does she stand up to me, she says she will care about me?' He wondered.

 **-Igneel and Younger Natsu-**

"That day I was faced with something so powerful not even I could stand against it." The ancient dragon said.

"What was stronger than you?" The kid Natsu asked with wide eyes. He had always believed that his father could beat anything. Igneel chuckled at his son's expression.

"Humans have beliefs and ideas that are so powerful they can stand against anything, even a dragon. I realized it that night and I chose to help your species." He explained. Natsu looked back over the destruction with a sad gaze.

"W-why did you tell me all of this?" He asked, hesitation in his voice. His father gave a heavy sigh before answering.

"When you care about someone like family or as a friend you can't keep secrets or problems from them. Keeping secrets from you is something I do not want to happen." Igneel said.

"But what if the secret could hurt me?" The boy asked.

"If you need to know it and you can help you then I will tell you. And you should do the same with people you will meet later on." The dragon answered, starting to turn back to the forest. Younger Natsu thought about what he had heard before asking another question.

"What happened to the girl?" Hearing that his father stopped walking and swung his massive head to look back at him.

"I heard she left the village and grew up to become one of the strongest wizards of her time. She even formed a guild if I remember correctly." He said, chuckling a bit in fondness. The boy smiled at this and jumped on Igneel's back.

"I'm going to get stronger than even her! Now I'm all fired up!" He cheered and off they went, heading back to their home, a human and a dragon with a bond that was unbreakable.

The scene faded and Natsu opened his eyes, no longer wanting to sleep. He looked around the infirmary but he was the only one inside the room at the moment. He rested his head back down and covered his eyes with his hands.

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" He asked himself.

'Igneel would want me to tell Mystogan but what am I supposed to tell him, I know the future? He may be an S-class wizard who's from Edolas but I doubt he believes in time travel.' He paused in his thinking.

"S-class wizard. What if I ask him to train me? No it won't work, he still wants to know what I'm hiding." Natsu debated. His thoughts were interrupted by Master Makarov walking into the room.

"How are you doing my boy?" He asked, walking up to the bed.

"Good but we have to stop doing this. It seems like we only talk when I'm hurt." The boy joked, but he stopped when he saw the old man's expression.

"Natsu you have to stop getting hurt like this. What if the next time you get an even more serious wound." He scolded.

"Don't worry gramps, you know how fast I heal." Natsu assured him.

"You do heal fat but you've been in here for an entire week." The master argued and the boy stared at him.

"A whole week!" He shouted.

"Yes and I hope you understand now how much everyone is worried about you." Makarov added. The dragon slayer was quiet for a few moments before shaking his head.

"I'm sorry I worried everyone but I'm fine now and I wasn't expecting a fight with a dark guild." He said

"That's not the point! You almost died and you think you're just okay? You are not okay and you need to rest!" Makarov exclaimed, slamming his staff down. The boy blinked in shock before nodding in acceptance.

"Alright old man, I'll take it easy the next couple of days." He relented. The master relaxed and smiled at him.

"I'm glad. I'm just making sure you stay safe my boy." He explained and Natsu nodded again before beginning to get up.

"I'll be careful but I'm not being cooped up in this room again." He complained.

"That's fine Natsu." Makarov said. The boy grinned and ran out of the room.

"Hey guys I'm healed!" He exclaimed. Everyone turned to see him and cheered.

"Natsu!" Happy cried, running into his best friend.

"Glad you're back Natsu!" Macao called from his place at the table.

"You're a real man!" Elfman yelled. Natsu turned to reply but before he could he saw a fist heading for his face. The master was walking out of the infirmary and ducked, just as a dragon slayer went flying back in a second later. He sighed and turned to Erza who had socked the boy into the other room.

"Was that necessary?" He asked the redheaded mage.

"He needs to learn not to worry us." She replied, cracking her knuckles.

"That doesn't mean you have to hurt me!" The boy in topic complained, staggering back into the room.

"Then don't worry us flame brain!" Gray argued, walking up to the group.

"I was fine popsicle so back off." Natsu grumbled.

"Really, you were almost dead!" The ice mage said.

"But I healed and I wasn't trying to fight those dark guild!" The dragon slayer yelled butting heads with the other boy. They were shoved apart by Erza who glared at them.

"That's enough fighting you two." She stated and the terrified boys nodded. Suddenly a loud growling noise echoed through the guild. Everyone turned to a sheepish dragon slayer.

"Sorry, I haven't eaten in a week." He explained and everyone laughed at his expression.

"Well now that our family is alright, it's time to party!" Makarov cheered. All of the members immediately start shouting and clanking drinks together.

"More rounds!" A guild member shouted to the bar maid.

"Coming!" Mira called, bringing drinks from the basement. She served them and walked back behind the bar, just as Natsu slumped down in a seat. She chuckled at his behavior before walking over.

"How are you doing?" She asked the boy.

"Good just hungry, could I get some food and some fire?" He asked. She nodded and walked over to the kitchen.

"So your injury isn't bothering you too much?" She questioned, setting the food up.

"Honestly, I don't even feel it." The dragon slayer admitted.

"That's good, what are you going to do after you eat?" Mira asked, bringing over the food. Natsu immediately began stuffing his face with the food and the fire simultaneously. Even though he was eating he still managed to answer her.

"I'm going to join the party." He said inhaling some flames.

"No training? That's what you've been doing these past couple of months." The barmaid asked. At that statement the dragon slayer stopped eating and frowned.

"I would be training but gramps said I couldn't." He grumbled.

"Don't worry, he's just looking out for you." She said. The boy nodded in acceptance before resuming to eat. Once he finished eating he turned around and jumped from his seat. To his misfortune he landed directly on Erza's table. The strawberry cake she had been eating flipped up into the air and landed on Gray's head. Both of them froze and looked at Natsu. He nervously smiled, backing up slowly.

"Now guys, it was completely on accident and I just got out of the infirmary so don't take it out on me." He begged.

"You must pay for my cake." Erza said, pulling a sword out of thin air.

"I've been itching for a fight with you pyro." Gray said, getting into a ice make stance. The pink haired boy cracked his knuckles.

"Now I'm all fired up." He said. Suddenly The other boy's eyes began to droop until he collapsed on the floor, unconscious.

"Gray!" The girl called and made a move to reach him but before she could she let out a massive yawn and then collapsed, also out cold.

"Erza!" Natsu yelled. He looked around the guild and saw that all of the other guild members were falling on the tables and the floor. The only other person who hadn't fallen asleep was the master but even he was having trouble with staying awake.

"What's going on gramps?" The dragon slayer asked. Before he could receive an answer the doors to Fairy Tail opened and Mystogan walked in. He and Natsu stared at each other for several minutes while Makarov watched them. Finally The S-class wizard nodded a hello to the old man before turning around to the entrance again.

"Natsu if you're ready to tell me the truth then come with me." He said, walking out.

"It's not like I have a choice." The pink haired boy grumbled.

"What is going on between you two?" The master asked, raising an eyebrow. The dragon slayer sighed before answering.

"It's fine, just something between him and me." The boy said, heading outside. Once outside he followed the other wizard out of Mongolia and into the woods. They continued to walk until they reached Natsu's training area. When they reached the clearing, Mystogan turned around and looked at Natsu who was staring at the ground.

"I'll only ask one more time, how do you know Pantherlily?" He said, bringing back the topic from a week ago. The dragon slayer continued to look down, not saying anything.

"Natsu." The S-class wizard said, with a warning tone in his voice. When the other still didn't respond he started to walk over to him. When he was five feet away the pink haired boy looked up at him with a fierce determination in his eyes. When he spoke his voice had a forcefulness to it, the same kind that he used when he spoke to the dark wizards.

"You want to know, fine then I'll tell you but I have two conditions as well." He stated. The S-class wizard paused before nodding.

"What are they?" He asked. Once again, Natsu paused before continuing to the details.

"One you have to remove your mask." He demanded but the response he received was a shake of Mystogan's head.

"I can't show my face, I will have problems with certain people if I do." He argued. He quieted down when he heard the dragon slayer making a low growl.

"I don't give damn about that Jellal.' The older wizard stiffened in shock from hearing his real name. 'I'm not going to keep talking to that piece of cloth wrapped around your face, so take it off or we're not talking." He snarled in anger. Mystogan was quiet for several moments before slowly reaching towards his face. He carefully unwrapped the mask revealing a shock of blue hair. He unwound the rest of it showing his angled face. The most noticeable feature about his face was the tattoo over his right eye. The bottom looked looked like a downward spear with a handle while the other half of the tattoo was above his eye and looked like a mirror image of the bottom one.

"What is the other request you have?" The revealed wizard asked, holding onto the mask. This time Natsu forged ahead without hesitating.

"I want you to train me, and you don't have to say anything yet. Just listen to what I have to say before you decide." He said with a fierce look. Jellal looked at him in confusion before nodding his head in acceptance.

"Fine, now tell me already." He demanded, crossing his arms impatiently.

"Are you sure? You could stay out of all of this. Once you hear what I have to say you can't go back and you can't say any of this to anyone." The dragon slayer begged but the S-class wizard continued to silently stare at him. The pink haired boy sighed in defeat.

"I know Pantherlily because he is a good friend of mine." He explained, keeping an eye on the others reaction but Mystogan simply frowned.

"That's impossible. You can't possibly have met him." He argued.

"I did and it was in Edolas when I helped you free it from your father and his power hungry madness." Natsu explained.

"We didn't do that and when did you go to Edolas?" The blue haired man said, staring at the boy with wide eyes. The dragon slayer gave a feral grin, as if this entire conversation amused him in some twisted way.

"We saved your kingdom and you did become prince and I went to Edolas. It happened, no it will happen in two years from now." He said. His grin grew wider, revealing his sharp fangs, when he saw Mystogan's eyes widen in realization.

"Are you saying that you're from the future?" He asked, thinking it was impossible. The boy frowned at that and looked down at his body holding his hands in front of him.

"Am I from the future, or a figment of the past? Is this real or is this a trick of his to make me pay, to punish me for my failure? All I know is that I know things that I shouldn't and I want to make things different." He asked, covering his face with his hand so only one of his eyes could be seen. The look in his was one that showed a hidden pain, something so terrible it could not be forgotten no matter what happened. Mystogan was speechless, from the scars that were visible in Natsu's eye, the terrors he had seen. He was barely holding back the pain he had suffered and it was tearing him apart.

"What happened?" The S-class wizard quietly asked, not wanting to upset the boy. The dragon slayer was silent for several moments before answering.

"Two years in the future, after you become the king of Edolas, Fairy Tail and all of the other guilds are attacked by seven dragons when we're at a tournament. We fight back and defeat them. We thought we had won but then _he_ showed up _._ The dark wizard, the one everyone feared. The creator of demons and the only immortal in the world, Zeref. In the blink of an eye, he killed everyone I cared about, Erza, Gray, gramps, even Happy. Zeref murdered all of them but he left me alive." He explained. Suddenly he landed on his knees on the ground. Tears were falling down his face as he sobbed into his hands. Mystogan continued to watch him, not making any move to comfort him or do anything else.

"He killed everyone!" He screamed, looking up to the sky with tears streaming down his face as he yelled in anguish. Suddenly a smack echoed throughout the clearing. The boy stopped sobbing as he stared at the S-class wizard in shock, who had just slapped him.

"You want to protect your family? Well then stop crying and get up, sitting there isn't going to do anything for them." He demanded, looking down at Natsu. Sniffling, the dragon slayer stood up and glared at the older wizard with a hint of his reptilian fury that he had used

"What do you know about protecting? You ran away from Edolas and let all of the guilds get wiped out!" He snarled. He flew back a second later, crashing into a tree. He looked up and saw Mystogan straightening up after punching Natsu in the face. As he struggled to stand up from the blow the other wizard started speaking to him.

"I had to leave Edolas. I couldn't do anything there as one person. I was a weak boy at the time. When I came here I could stop the Anima and control it, keeping it from absorbing any more magic. I was protecting both worlds, I didn't run away so don't ever say that again!" The S-class wizard seethed, clenching his fists in anger. The dragon slayer had gotten up and wiped some blood from his mouth.

The two mages stared at each other for several minutes until the younger one started chuckling. It evolved from that to a full blown laughter, but it had no humor with it. Rather, it was a mad cackling that understood a twisted joke no one else did. He quickly stopped and his expression turned to a grim expression.

"Funny isn't it, we're fighting even though we understand each other perfectly. We've had similar experiences, have lost people, and need to get stronger but here we are, fighting each other." He explained. Mystogan blinked in surprise before chuckling humorlessly.

"What a funny comparison, but a true one." He muttered in acceptance. They both became quiet again, lost in their own thoughts. This continued to go on until Natsu broke the silence.

"What's going to happen now that you know? Are you going to tell the master?" He asked walking past the S-class wizard.

"The only thing I can do, help you." The mage answered. The pink haired boy had almost reached the edge of the clearing, froze at that statement.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, turning around.

"We only have two years to get you stronger after all." Mystogan continued to speak, walking over to the dragon slayer. Natsu stared at him with wide eyes, his jaw hanging open.

"Are you saying that…" He was so shocked that he couldn't say any more words. The other mage smiled at his reaction. When he reached the pink haired boy he laid a hand on his head, ruffling the hair a bit.

"You want me to train you to stop the future? I agree so get your things Natsu. We have two years to prepare for Zeref." Mystogan announced, already preparing for the trials that lied ahead.

 **Snake: I hope you guys liked it and I have good news! The next chapter is the original story beginning where Natsu meets Lucy. Read and Review!**

 **One more thing if you know who the girl was Igneel talked to tell me and I will tell you if you're right.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 **Ok first of all I want to say thanks for reviewing and I have some comments to some of you.**

 **The Legend of Zelda Fangirl and Mylax: Both of you are right about your guess. Good job!**

 **Grank: I did remember the seven year time skip but because he was in Fairy Sphere I decided not to count that time since he couldn't do anything during then.**

 **Doom Marine 54: I know that Natsu was around fifteen when Lisanna 'died' and if I didn't put that, then I am sorry but he is in his teens during the story line.**

 **Natsu2105: About Natsu being stronger than him we don't really know that since they never fought and the reason Mystogan trained him was because Gildarts was on the century quest and Makarov was killed by Zeref so Natsu didn't want to tell him but Mystogan wasn't so it was slightly better to reveal it to him instead.**

 **To the Nalu fans: I understand if some of you are upset that Nalu didn't win but I do have some good news. I am currently writing another Fairy Tail fanfiction with this one and it is definitely going to be a Nalu and I might start posting in a week or two.**

 **I hope I answered your questions and I also hope you enjoy guys and this is going to be Lucy's thoughts not Natsu's until the end.**

 **-Two years since Natsu left Fairy Tail to train with Mystogan-**

"I can't believe that man only though my cuteness was only worth 1000 jewels off!" A girl huffed in frustration. Her name was Lucy, and she had a woman's body and long blond hair tied into a ponytail. She had just come from the only magic shop in the town of Hargeon. The blond had found a spirit key she had wanted to buy in the store but the gentleman in charge had charged 200,000 jewels for it. She had tried to use her sex appeal to get a discount but she barely got any money off.

"Well at least I got the key." She muttered, walking through the town. Suddenly several girls ran past her, talking to themselves and she managed to catch part of the conversation.

"Did you hear? The Salamander is in town!" One of them squealed.

"I did and I heard he was in the courtyard. Let's go!" Another said and they headed off to the center of town. Lucy stopped walking and looked after the way they went.

'The Salamander? They say he's a super powerful mage who uses magic not found in stores!' She thought excitedly. She continued to look the way to the courtyard and then to the path to the train station.

'I need to catch the train but this is a chance of a lifetime to meet a wizard like him.' She debated. Finally she nodded to herself and turned to walk towards the way the girls had ran off. She strolled down the street until she saw a crowd of women in the middle of the courtyard. They were all yelling and gasping in awe from something in the middle of the group.

Lucy walked up until she was behind the gaggle of girls where she started to push her way through. When she reached the middle of the circle what she saw astounded her. Standing there was a man with dark blue hair in the center, waving to the women with a charming grin on his face. He had an x shaped mark over his right eye, while several rings adorned his fingers that flashed in the sunlight. As the blond gazed at the strange man she felt her heart beginning to beat faster.

'What is this feeling?' She wondered, walking closer to him. Her palms started to become sweaty and she took a nervous gulp of air. She continued to walk towards him while her mind was a whirl of thoughts.

'This amazing feeling, this warmness, i-is this love?' She wondered, reaching out to the stranger. However, right before she could get his attention there was a commotion at the edge of the group. Turning, she saw another man enter the ring of girls. He had a black outfit consisting of baggy black pants, an open black jacket with several gold buttons on the left side. He had a plain white shirt underneath, and a black cloak draped over his back with a wooden staff strapped to it. Even though his outfit was strange, the most interesting things about him was his white, scale like scarf and his bright pink hair, spiking every which way. He pushed his way passed the women and walked up to the blue haired guy who was looking at him with a scowl. Right before they talked Lucy realized that the hammering in her chest had vanished and she felt perfectly fine now. She was pulled out of her contemplating by the voice of the pink haired boy.

"Did you say you were the Salamander?" He asked the other man. When he heard that the mage's scowl quickly turned into his original flirtatious smile.

"Of course my dear boy, I am him. Are you here for an autograph?" He asked, signing a piece of paper and handing it to the pink haired boy. In response, he simply reached forward, and lit the paper on fire. It quickly burnt to a crisp as the tattooed man stared at him with a hint of fear in his eyes. The wizard tilted his head in amusement and chuckled.

"Next time you use my name, make sure I'm not in town." He said before grabbing the other by his shirt and delivering a hard right hook to the man's nose. He then looked to the women and smiled under his mask.

"Ladies, may I introduce you to Bora, an ex-member of Titan Nose but now a slave trader whose specialty is in women." He announced, throwing the stunned man at a wall. Bora staggered to his feet and sneered at him.

"You think you can just throw me around? I'll show you!" He yelled, raising his hand. A magic symbol appeared in front of him and a blue flame shot out at the stranger who was walking towards him.

"Look out!" Lucy screamed, staring at the fire that was about to strike the man. Right before it could hit however, the man simply reached out and grabbed it. He held it in his hand, twirling it, analyzing every part of it. Finally he nodded and took a massive bite, swallowing the flames in one gulp. Everyone stared at him while he started walking towards Bora again.

"Disgusting flames as always Bora." He commented, patting his stomach. He then took a stance, cracking his knuckles.

"Time to show you what real magic can do." He snarled, running at the blue haired mage. As he ran fire started to cover his hands.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" He yelled, punching Bora. The impact made the tattooed man fly back into the wall again, breaking it and burying him in rubble. Everything was quiet for a second until the sound of marching was heard. The group parted to reveal a squad of rune knights heading towards them. The force walked up to the destruction and stopped in front of the masked wizard. In the front of the soldiers stepped a spectacled rune knight who carried an air of authority.

"You destroyed something again." He muttered, looking over the mess. The pink haired wizard scratched his head sheepishly.

"I did catch him though didn't I? And besides, at least this time it wasn't the entire town." He argued, looking down in embarrassment. The leader stared at him for several moments until sighing and smiling at him.

"True, you're not as destructive as you used to be. Thanks for the help Salamander." He said before turning to his men.

"Alright, I want him in irons and eyewitness accounts! Get to it!" He shouted and the troops scrambled to follow his orders. Lucy looked around as all of the rune knights were talking to the girls, hauling stone, or lifting Bora out of the rubble and slapping shackles on him.

'Wow, they move fast, and that mage was powerful. Wait a second, where is he?' She wondered, searching for the pink haired wizard. She finally saw him walking away from the area and she ran to catch up.

"Hey, wait up!" She called. The man turned around and waited for her to reach him. Once she did he continued walking and she had to start moving again to keep up with him.

"What can I do for you?" He asked her.

"My name's Lucy and I wanted to thank you for stopping him." She said, painting a bit from the exertion.

"No problem, just helping catch a criminal. My name's Natsu by the way." He replied, waving a hand in dismissal of the praise.

"But you were awesome and you ate those flames. Didn't you say that the fire was disgusting as always? When did you meet Bora?" She asked firing off several questions at once. At the last statement he appeared nervous but she ignored it.

"I had a run in with him several years ago. He was up to the same tricks then as he is now." Natsu explained to her. Lucy was about to ask something but her stomach suddenly let out a large rumble. When he heard this the mage stopped walking and turned towards a restaurant.

"While we talk, why don't we eat in here?" He asked, glancing at her for confirmation.

"Sure and I'll pay for your meal!" She suggested as they walked in. Once they had sat down and ordered the blonde was fascinated by pink haired boy's face. Now that she had a closer look he had a serious look in his eyes that showed power while his smile was a small mischievous grin, like he knew something she didn't. His teeth had to be the most interesting because instead of normal teeth they looked razor sharp and poked out a bit, giving him a fanged smile. Snapping out of her thoughts, she brought up the previous topic.

"Again I wanted to say thanks about that fake. He had a charm spell on me but when you walked up to him it broke." She explained.

"You knew it was a charm spell? Are you a wizard?" He asked, taking a sip of his tea. Lucy couldn't understand how he could drink it since it was scalding hot but she nodded to the question.

"Yeah I am! I can do celestial spirit magic and I already have several keys!" She exclaimed happily.

"Interesting, are you part of a guild yet?" The man asked, tilting his head.

"Not yet but I really want to join this one guild that is absolutely amazing! It's big, and strong and super popular!" She gushed. Natsu turned to her with a knowing smile.

"May I ask what guild?" Natsu asked smirking.

"Fairy Tail! It's the strongest one in Fiore and it's my dream to join them." Lucy cheered happily.

"What luck. I'm a member. Want to come back to the guild with me and my companion?" Natsu said. Before she could reply a cloaked figure walked up. He was covered from head to toe in blue with six staffs on his back. The stranger looked at her in curiosity before turning to the other man.

"Natsu you ran off again. Who's this with you?" He asked looking back at the girl. She shrunk down under his look, trying to not be noticed any more than she had to. He didn't seem dangerous but the way he was watching her was as if he was examining her.

"I'm Lucy," she said trying not to stutter. The stranger nodded in acceptance.

"My name is Mystogan and I am an S-class wizard from Fairy Tail." He said, introducing himself.

"She wants to join Fairy Tail. Can we take her Mystogan?" Natsu asked looking at him.

"I've told you before you can't just take people you like." He replied with a shake of his head.

"But Mystogan. I really wanna keep her." Natsu whined hugging Lucy.

"Woah! Hold on! You can't keep me, and get off." She yelled, blushing a deep crimson color.

"Fine. But can I at least keep you until we reach the guild?" Natsu asked with a hopeful expression. Lucy sighed and gave in, realizing there was no way around it while Mystogan smirked under his mask. They paid for their meal and walked outside. They began to head to the train station when the dragon slayer suddenly stopped and turned to them.

"Oh! First we have to make some stops before we can return to the guild." The pink haired boy said.

"Where are we going?" The blonde asked, curious by the sudden announcement. Mystogan also looked confused by what he had said. Without answering, Natsu turned and walked to the nearest cake shop and bought the largest strawberry cheesecake the could find. He then went across the street to a magic clothing store and purchased some jeans. At Lucy's confused look he explained.

"I haven't been to the guild in about two years and I am bringing these as some peace offerings. My friends Erza and Gray would want to beat the crap out of me unless I bring them these gifts, then there's a lower chance of them doing that. Gray always ends up losing his clothes so I got jeans that you have to say a specific word to get them to stay off. I got the cake because Erza is obsessed with them." Natsu said. Mystogan nodded in realization while the celestial mage nodded in acceptance though she thought it was crazy, and they headed to the train station.

"What are the other stops Natsu?" Mystogan asked. Instead of answering the dragon slayer made a wide grin, revealing his sharp fangs.

"You'll see." Was the only thing he said before they got on the train and left for the guild of Lucy's dreams.

The train ride was uneventful. Mystogan stared into the distance, while Natsu wrote in a black notebook. Lucy tried to get some shut eye but she was too excited to sleep. After several hours of riding they reached a small town.

"What are we doing here?" Mystogan asked, looking around. Natsu smirked and pointed to a massive house on the other side of the town.

"We've got to bust in that house and retrieve a book from a crook. Oh and Lucy,' He said distracting her from the panic she was feeling at breaking and entering. 'There's rumors that the man who has the book is not only a criminal but he also has a gold spirit key." He added. Hearing that, The blonde's eyes began to sparkle and she clasped her hands together.

"Really then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" She cheered. She grabbed both of the Fairy Tail mages and started to drag them with her.

"WAAAAAAAIT!" Natsu screamed, bumping along the road. Turning he saw, Mystogan being dragged along but he had managed to stay on his feet and was walking along. This continued until they reached the mansion.

"So what's the plan?" Lucy asked, looking behind her. The pink haired boy was laying on the ground gasping for breath after being dragged all the way through town. The masked wizard had fared slightly better though he was out of breath as well.

"What happened to you two?" She asked, glancing at them curiously. Natsu gave her a death glare while the other man just stared at her.

"Forget it, now we have two ways to do this." the dragon slayer decided, standing up.

"I think there's three." The S-class wizard interrupted, looking up at the house. The pink haired boy's eye twitched at hearing that.

"Two.

"Three."

"Two."

"Three."

"Two."

"Three!"

"Two!"

"Ok guys stop acting like children!" The spirit mage screamed, stopping their bickering. Mystogan had Natsu in a headlock while he struggled to get free.

"Now what are your ideas Natsu?" She asked the dragon slayer. He slipped out of the hold and gave her a grin.

"Ok here are the plans. We can dress you up as a maid and you can apply for a job or, we can destroy the entire place!" He declared igniting his fists.

"You forgot the easy way and that's just putting them to sleep." The S-class wizard said, shaking his head. Natsu stopped in his tracks before face palming. He then looked at him with a sheepish expression.

"Woops, I forgot. I'm just all fired up about getting back to Fairy Tail and Lucy being here!" He explained. Lucy stared at him in surprise while Mystogan gave a sad smile.

"Alright, what are we waiting for? Let's get that key." The blonde cheered. They walked up to the gate and the masked wizard raised one of his many staffs. He was silent for a moment, with his eyes closed.

"I managed to put all of the humans asleep but the spirit is out right now and I can't put her to sleep." He said, putting the staff away. Natsu reached forward and flames spat out of one of his hands and went through the gate. It reached around to the end of the entrance and seemed to press something. A moment later the gates swung open, allowing them access.

"How did you do that with the fire?" Lucy asked, staring in wonder. The fire mage gave her a quick smile before walking in.

"It's my magic. I'm a fire dragon slayer, and one of the tricks I learned was that fire isn't always used to burn." Natsu said before entering. If the outside was amazing the inside was even more impressive with gold chandeliers hanging from the ceilings and detailed portraits on the walls. Natsu looked around and went to a room upstairs which was the library. He looked around and grabbed a golden book covered in sparkles.

"Yep. This is the right one." Natsu said. He took out the notebook from the train and flipped through it. He stopped at a certain page and read over it. Natsu took his staff off his back and held it over the book. Natsu became surrounded in blue flames as the chanted. Lucy looked over the staff while he did whatever he was doing. It was a long wooden staff painted red with gold flames curling around it. The top of the staff had a silver ball adorning it's head with a pitch black dragon resting atop it, roaring at the sky while it's tail wrapped around the sphere.

"Kono hon toki no jumon o gen ni modoshimasu. Seitōna rīdā ga tōjō shite imasu." Natsu chanted. Words floated around Natsu as the blue fire got bigger. When he stopped chanting the fire died down and the words disappeared. He started to head out but Mystogan walked over to Natsu and shoved him into a chair. Before he could say anything however, the dragon slayer interjected.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. You don't want me to move around much after using the blue flames. Guess it's break time." Natsu said grabbing a book from the shelf behind him. He opened it and began to read it as if nothing had happened. Mystogan followed suit and motioned for Lucy to do the same. She stared at the two for a moment before shrugging and pulling a book off the shelf.

"Umm, I can't read this. It's in a different language." Lucy said holding up the book she grabbed. She handed it to Mystogan who looked at it for a second before giving it to Natsu. Natsu took the book with wide eyes before getting up and looking through all the books in the library.

"Why are we just sitting here anyways?" She asked, looking around nervously. It was quiet in the room but that could change quickly.

"We are waiting for the spirit to show up. Another problem is that with Natsu being weak after using that spell, I don't want him moving and with him looking for more books like the one you found we should stay longer." Mystogan said. They turned to look at Natsu who already had about ten books stacked up and was reaching for one that was on the very top shelf. When he couldn't, Natsu walked over to the other two and grabbed one of Mystogan's staffs. The S-class wizard tried to snag it back but the dragon slayer was to quick and got away with on that looked like it had a fan on top. He ran back over to the bookshelf and hit the books with the staff.

"NATSU!" Lucy screamed as she watched the books fall. Instead of them hitting the floor the pink haired mage managed to grab every single book that fell, catching them in his arms. Once he had them all he put them next to the other pile before grinning at the blonde.

"Great job Luce! That scream was just what we needed." He said. Natsu went back to collecting books with Mystogan's staff. With his attention gone, Lucy turned to the masked wizard.

"What does he mean that's what we needed?" She asked and he gave an irritated sighed.

"He means that now that you screamed, the spirit is going to be coming after us." He explained. Just after he said that a hole opened in the ground. A gorilla like maid jumped out of it. She was about eight feet high with a very fat body that was barely heard in her maid outfit.

" **What are you intruders doing in my master's mansion?** " She demanded Before either Lucy or Mystogan could answer, Natsu walked past the maid, flipping through a book.

"We were looking for you. Then I found all these books. The problem is that most of these are about things I know about. Still these books are fun to read. This one has very useful information so I'll be taking it." He explained, closing the book. He walked over to his huge stack of books and brought out his notebook, flipping it over to the other side. Looking closer Lucy could see a drawing on the back of it.

" **You won't be taking those books**!" The maid said, charging him. Natsu simply turned to her and sighed.

"Technically these books belong to me since they are my inheritance." Natsu said, tossing his notebook behind him onto the pile. He then took a deep breath, making his stomach expand.

" **Fire Dragon's Roar**!" He shouted, unleashing a massive inferno of white flames at Virgo. The fire blew through the library, managing to leave the books and bookshelves intact while Mystogan and Lucy were behind the blast so they were unharmed. Even though they were behind it, both of them could feel the intense heat blowing past them making it felt like they were inside an oven. When the fire finally settled down, all that they could see was a second hole in the floor next to the first one.

"Did you defeat her?" Lucy asked walking up to one of the holes. She looked down but all she saw was the rooms below.

"No she's just hiding down stairs." Mystogan said walking over to the hole she was looking down.

"Well, let's get hunting then." Natsu exclaimed. They turned to see him walking towards them.

"Natsu. Aren't you you forgetting the books?" Lucy asked. Natsu shook his head in response.

"I put the books away." He said, jumping down the hole. Lucy looked at where the books had been but didn't see anything there.

"Where did they go!?" She shrieked, before Mystogan grabbed her and jumped down the hole with her. After they landed and the blonde stopped screaming they walked over to where Natsu was standing. He had his nose in the air and seemed to be sniffing around.

"W-what are you doing Natsu?" The spirit wizard asked, still startled by the sudden drop.

"Since I'm a dragon slayer my senses are heightened so I can smell where Virgo went." He explained, before running down a long hallway. They followed him until they reached a massive door.

"The owner of this place thinks too highly of himself." Mystogan commented, staring at the entrance.

"That's for sure. Now let's get going." The dragon slayer said, opening the door. Inside was the gigantic maid who was shaking a small, round man with a french mustache. When they walked in Virgo turned around to face them with fury on her ugly features.

" **What have you done with master?** " She screamed at them.

"He's simply asleep, there's nothing to worry about spirit." The S-class wizard assured her. Natsu then stepped up in front of her and smiled. From some of the other smiles he had Lucy could tell this one was real.

'Why would he fake his smiling?' She wondered.

"So Virgo it's nice to meet you!" The pink haired boy said, looking up at the giant.

" **How do you know my name?** " She asked, leaning over him.

"I have my ways of finding things out." He replied with a mischievous grin. Before the maid could say anything else he continued talking.

"Now Virgo, we're here because we wanted to know if you'd like to sign a contract with Lucy here?" He asked, motioning to the blonde behind him.

"Ahh, don't get me involved!" The celestial mage exclaimed. The spirit turned her gaze to her and stared at her, scrutinizing the girl. After several minutes the gorilla nodded and turned back to Natsu.

" **Alright, I'll become her spirit. But you have to take my key from the master. I'm not allowed to touch it.** " She said, nodding her consent. When he heard that he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good, I really didn't want to fight you to get the key." He admitted, walking over to the sleeping rolie polie. The dragon slayer reached him and lifted up the man's jacket. Suddenly he froze and a change seem to come over him.

His eyes narrowed in distaste while his face was bared in a savage sneer. It took a moment for Lucy to realize what she was hearing but Natsu was actually _growling_. His eyes had been kind up to this moment but now it had a barely controlled fury behind them. Slowly, he reached an out stretched hand towards the man's face.

"Natsu, stop." Mystogan's voice suddenly broke the tension. The dragon slayer shifted his eyes from the sleeping man to the S-class wizard, pinning him with his gaze. Uncontrollably, Lucy shivered out of fear. The look in Natsu's eyes wasn't human. It looked like he was some sort of beast or.

'A dragon." She thought to herself.

"Don't do it." Mystogan repeated, meeting the pink haired boy's gaze without flinching.

"Do you know what this man no thing has done? How much he reeks of pain and death?" Natsu hissed.

"That doesn't mean you should do it." The masked wizard argued. They glared at each other for several tense moments until the younger man huffed in frustration. He quickly grabbed something and pulled it out revealing a gold key with a shovel design on the bottom and the sign of the maiden on the top. Natsu tossed it over to Lucy who barely caught it. Once she did Virgo started to shine a brilliant gold color. When it faded it revealed a maid standing in front of them about Lucy's height with short pink hair, and beautiful features. When she spoke her voice came out a clear, calm voice without any of the gruffness it had before.

"Do you like this form master?" She asked a stunned blonde.

"Y-yeah but how did you do that?" The spirit mage wondered, staring at the change.

"I take the form I believe my master likes the most. Do you not like this form master?" She questioned.

"N-no I like it but no calling me master or anything else like that." Lucy ordered. Virgo nodded in understand.

"Alright princess, call me anytime you need me." She said, fading away into thin air.

"Princess sounds perfect!" The blonde cheered, completely forgetting what she said a minute ago.

"Alright let's head out and get on the train." Mystogan suggested and they began to walk out of the room. Natsu paused at the doorway and glared at the sleeping man. His irises had gone from the usual look to a narrow slit. He turned around and raised his hand. He snapped his fingers and walked out, just as a fire started at the foot of the bed.

He walked out of the house and faced his partners.

"Ready to go?" Lucy asked, smiling at him.

"Yeah, let's go!" He cheered, plastering a smile on his face, while Mystogan watched him closely. The blonde could also tell that the grin was fake but she didn't say anything either. After a couple minutes of walking Lucy remembered something about what had happened.

"By the way, what did you mean by the books belonged to you by inheritance?" She asked, looking over at the dragon slayer. He blinked in surprise before explaining.

"Well they were written in the language of dragons and since only them and some humans, including me can read it, figured they should belong to someone who can actually read them." He said.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN READ DRAGON!" She shrieked in alarm. The pink haired boy cleaned his ears before replying.

"First of all ow, second I can read it because I was raised by Igneel who is a dragon." He answered, pulling out his notebook. Instead of opening it this time, he simply turned it over to the back to reveal a strange design on the back. It was a white circle with intricate drawings in it with several symbols on it.

Before the spirit mage could ask another question, Natsu put his thumb on the circle and seemed to pause for a moment. A second later there was a quick flash of light and he was holding the book he had been reading previously. Lucy, having been amazed into forgetting about Igneel, gaped at him with amazement from seeing that display of magic. He chuckled at her expression before providing an answer.

"It's a magic seal. Think of it like a mini backpack that can hold tons of items." He explained, pocketing the notebook. She nodded in understanding and was quiet, processing the events of the day, until they got on the train where she asked one more question.

"Where are we going now?" She wondered. Hearing that, Natsu gave her a massive grin and instead of answering he simply gave a piece of advice before looking back to his book.

"You had better dress warm."

 **-Two days later-**

Near noon, four people walked into the town of Magnolia. One of them was a girl who had blond hair tied into a ponytail and she had several gold and silver keys on her belt. The second person was a bit taller with six staffs on his back and a blue mask covering his face. The next man was wearing a black cape, jacket, and pants with a white shirt and a staff strapped to his back. His most noticeable features were his fangs and spiky pink hair. The fourth person was being carried by the third and looked like he had been gone ten rounds with an avalanche. He had slicked back blue hair, with a hint of facial hair, and a chain necklace with a huge S on it. He had bruises all over his face and bandages wrapped around his waist. Together, they walked through town until they stopped in front of a massive building with a strange symbol in front of it.

"Are you ready to meet everyone Luce?" The pink haired boy asked, turning to the blonde.

"Do you think they'll like me?" She asked nervously.

"Don't worry you did help bring Macao so they'll love you." He reassured her.

"I still don't understand how you knew he was at the Mt. Hakobe." The masked man commented, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I have my ways." The other male bragged. The woman sighed at his antics.

"And again you don't tell us what you mean." She complained. The pink haired man simply chuckled before turning to the stranger with the staffs.

"No sleeping spell please." The black covered stranger asked. The other male simply nodded his head in confirmation. The pink haired boy took a deep breath before smiling.

"It's been two long years since I left but Natsu Dragneel is back Fairy Tail." He muttered before opening the guild doors, grinning in anticipation of all that was soon to come.

 **Snake: If you don't like something please tell me. And for those who may wonder Natsu didn't tell Mystogan everything that happened, only the events concerning him and yes, Natsu did kill the man who had Virgo's key. He was also was so happy with Lucy since it has been two years since he saw her.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 **Snake: Read, review, enjoy, and as Natsu always says, I'm all fired up!**

 **-Inside Fairy Tail and Two Years after Natsu left with Mystogan-**

As usual a brawl was going on inside the guild. Unusually, the barmaid Mirajane, was the one who had started the fight. Minutes earlier, she had been serving drinks when Gray had walked up to her.

"Hey Mira, I came to deliver Happy for your week of taking care of him." He said, taking a seat at the bar. A moment later, the blue cat landed next to him and started crying.

"Mira, he froze all my fish!" Happy complained to her, balling his eyes out. The ice make mage glared at him.

"I told you it was an accident!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. The barmaid giggled at their antics before rubbing the exceed's head.

"Don't worry Happy, I'll get you some fish right now." She promised, serving Gray a drink and turning towards the kitchen. As she was getting food she continued to talk to him over her shoulder.

"I wanted to say thank you for helping me watch him while Natsu's away." She said, cutting up some fish.

"It's fine but I'm still wondering why Flame Brain left him behind when he went training with Mystogan. Or why Mystogan even took him in the first place!" He complained not even noticing he had lost his shirt.

"He told me it would be too dangerous for me to go with him so he wanted me to stay with Mira and I said 'Aye!'" Happy explained, lifting his paw in the air in a salute.

"As to why Mystogan took him with him, nobody knows why. After we woke up from his sleep spell Master said that he had taken Natsu for training and we wouldn't see him for a while." She reminded him, putting the fish on a plate and giving it to the cat. He immediately began scarfing it down while the barmaid rested on her elbows watching him eat before turning to look at Gray with a mischievous grin.

"So have you found a girlfriend yet?" She asked, giving him a wink. The boy immediately choked on his drink at hearing that question.

"What! Why would I have a g-girlfriend?" He stuttered, staring at her in shock.

"Oh come on, with your looks you should of gotten at least one by now." She said, still smiling at him with her devilish grin. Hearing that, Gray blushed a bright red.

"W-well I just haven't had time since I've been so busy doing jobs and such." He retorted, trying to hide his rosy cheeks inside his cup. Mira scoffed at his answer.

"Oh come on, you haven't been on a job in the past three days! I know, why don't you let me hook you up with someone." She suggested and once again caused him to choke on his drink. After he was done coughing he looked at her like she was insane.

"No way! I don't need that!" He exclaimed. She simply sighed in disappointment before beginning to walk away.

"Alright but if you want any romance advice, I'm always here you know." She said. Gray scoffed and tried to take a successful drink.

"She must bug everyone with relationships because she can't get her own." He muttered to himself. To his misfortune the person of his complaining happen to hear him.

"What was that Gray? I don't think I heard you?" Mirajane asked, turning around with an innocent smile. When the ice mage saw her expression he immediately went pale from fear. She had been working at the bar for a couple years and she was known for her kind nature but every once in a while she reminded everyone why she was called 'The Demon' in her younger years. By now he was shaking in terror as she walked closer to him with that horrifying smile.

"Did you say I can't get a boyfriend? Because that would be mean." She asked, dropping her smile and giving Gray a dark glare. He quickly shook his head in denial.

"N-no I didn't say anything like that. I just said, um, that you like putting in relationships because, because you like them so much." He stammered, trying to make up an excuse. Mira stared at him for several seconds before giving him a big grin.

"Ah that's nice of you, Gray." She said, before starting to walk away again. He sighed in relief at escaping death but froze when she turned back to him.

"Oh just a warning don't say that again or you'll get this!" The barmaid shouted, swinging a frying pan at his head. It connected with a loud smack and sent him flying into a table behind him. He crashed into Cana who had been drinking her usual barrel of beer. The alcohol spilt on to the floor and she glared at the ice mage who was rubbing his head in pain. He looked up in time to see a fist flying at him. The card mage punched him in the face, throwing him to the other end of the guild. He then impacted into Elfman and they immediately began glaring at each other.

"Real men don't run into people!" The muscular straus sibling shouted.

"I didn't run into you, I got thrown!" Gray argued, punching Elfman and sending him flying. Pretty quickly a brawl broke out with Mira, Gray, Cana, and Elfman in the middle of it. Gray had already stripped down to his boxers while Cana was using duel beer bottles to knock people around. Elfman was yelling about man while slamming heads together. Mira was the worst of them all, swinging frying pans everywhere bashing peoples heads with them. Master Makarov simply sighed at the destruction and took a small sip from his mug of beer. It was good for the guild members to blow off steam once in a while. Now a days there wasn't as many brawls as when Natsu had been there but there was still the usual tussle.

'Speaking of Natsu I wonder how he's doing. Mystogan always came in by himself, saying that the young dragon slayer didn't want to come back until he was strong enough to beat Erza and Laxus.' He thought to himself with a frown. Everyone had been upset when they heard that he had left but they somewhat understood so they accepted it and got on with their lives. Before he could contemplate anymore the guild doors opened and a small boy ran in up to him.

"Gramps, has my dad come back yet?" He asked in an agitated voice. The old man sighed before answering.

"No Romeo, your father hasn't come back from his mission and I'm sure he is perfectly safe." He assured Romeo but the boy simple shook his head in dismissal.

"No! He said he was going to be back in only three days and it's been an entire week!" He shouted, tears brimming at the corner of his eyes.

"Listen you brat your old man is a Fairy Tail wizard and he can take care of himself!" Makarov shouted, growing frustrated with him. Romeo stared at him before he thumped the master in the face with a hard fist. Immediately, all of the commotion in the guild stopped as they stared at Makarov's knocked over form.

"You're mean old man!" The young boy cried, turning around and beginning to run towards the entrance. None of the guild members tried to stop him but right before he reached the doors, they opened from the outside. Romeo screeched to a stop and stared at the four figures that were at the doorway. He barely noticed the first three strangers, focusing on the one who was being carried by one of the others.

"Dad!" He exclaimed, staring at his father's damaged body. Everyone else was also gazing at horror at the wounds suffered upon the mage. Everyone except for the master that is who was paying more attention to the pink haired man carrying him. Suddenly the silence was broken by a loud voice.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Someone shouted and all eyes turned to the speaker. When they recognized who had spoken there was a large variety of reactions. Mira gasped, placing her hands over her mouth. Gray gaped in surprise, while Elfman who had him in a headlock stared in disbelief. All of them were staring at a pink haired boy who had a toothy grin.

"N-natsu?" Mirajane asked staring at the changed boy. Gone was his vest, replaced with a black jacket and a white shirt. His white shorts had been replaced with long black pants, reaching his sandals. The biggest change however was the long black cloak, touching the ground and the staff on his back.

The dragon slayer in question turned to her voice and even though it seemed impossible, his smile grew wider.

"Hey Mira! How are you doing? Is the modeling business still going good?" He asked, dragging Macao with him as he walked into the guild. The other people, one of whom was Mystogan some people noticed, went through the entrance as well. Mystogan took several extra steps and took the injured Fairy Tail member from Natsu.

"You should stay here instead of carrying Macao to the infirmary. I'm sure the others will won't to know how you've been." He explained when the pink hair boy gave him a questioning glance. Natsu gave him a grin before the S-class wizard began to lug the hurt man to the medical room with Romeo following him. After the door closed, everyone continued to stare at the dragon slayer in shock. He gave them all curious glances before grabbing the his last companion's' hand and leading her forward.

"Hey guy's this is Lucy and she wants to join Fairy Tail!" He exclaimed happily. Suddenly the sound of footsteps was heard walking towards them. The crowd parted to reveal Master Makarov making his way to Natsu and his friend. He stopped right before them and looked from one to the other for several seconds. He then burst into a wide grin.

"Well Natsu I'm glad to see your back from your training. You've even brought a new family member with you." He said happily before turning to the rest of the guild.

"Alright everyone, I think this is a reason to party!" He yelled, pumping his fist in the air. That broke the tension held over the group. Everyone threw their fists in the air as well and cheered.

"Yeah free booze!"

"Natsu's finally back!"

"And he brought a hot girl with him too!"

"Where've you been Natsu?"

Lucy looked around in amazement at the sudden change that had come over the place. Where people had been quiet there was now shouting, laughing, the sound of glasses clinking together, and the general sound of chaos that Fairy Tail was known for. She was drawn out of her wondering by an arm on her shoulder. Looking over, she saw Natsu grinning at her before he grabbed her hand and started to drag her through the crowd..

"W-what are you doing Natsu?" She stuttered, blushing slightly from the contact. He gave her a confused glance at her reaction before continuing to pull her along.

"We need to get you the guild member stamp so you can become an official member." He explained right before they managed to reach the bar at the other end of the guild. No one was at it at the moment but that didn't seem to bother the dragon slayer. He swung his body over the counter and started rummaging around the shelves. After a minute or two he turned back around to face Lucy with a stamp in his hand.

"So where do you want it?" He asked her. Hearing that the blonde's light blush colored both of her cheeks a rosy red. She spluttered a couple moments before finding her voice. When she did it came out as a loud shriek.

"PERVERT!" She screamed, slapping Natsu across the face. With all of the noise inside the building no one paid attention to her yelling.

"Ow!" Even though he cried in pain, it didn't seem like it had hurt him. She gave him an incredulous look and once he understood what he said he rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"I didn't mean it like that. I meant where do you want the tattoo?" He explained, showing her the stamp.

"O-oh um, I want it on the back of my right hand please." She asked, slightly embarrassed at assuming he was being perverted.

'Geez Lucy, you know Natsu well enough now to know he won't do something like that.' She berated herself. Suddenly she felt a pressure on her hand. Looking down she was just in time to see the dragon slayer lifting the stamp off her hand, revealing a pink Fairy Tail guild mark and she gazed at it in wonder.

"Congratulations Luce, now you're part of the family." He exclaimed giving her one of his true smiles and again she wondered why he didn't smile like that all of the time.

"Thank you for bringing me here Natsu." She said, returning his grin with a smile. Before he could reply a blue cat suddenly tackled him and knocked him to the floor. What surprised her the most besides him being blue was that he had wings and was actually talking!

"Whaaa! Natsu I missed you!" He cried into the pink haired boy's chest. Natsu rubbed his head while standing up.

"Hey Happy it's great to see you again!" He exclaimed, giving the cat a massive hug.

"He's been missing you for a while now and the rest of us too." A voice said behind Lucy. Turning around she saw Gray giving them a glance, and Mira who was smiling at them both.

"Wow you're Mirajane! You're great on Sorcerer Weekly!" She said, amazed at the sight before her. Here was one of the most famous woman ever to be posted on the popular magazine and here she was, talking to the blond. While the boy walked past them to talk to the dragon slayer, the barmaid giggled at her enthusiasm before noticing the mark on the spirit mage's hand.

"You're Lucy right? I see Natsu got you the stamp already. I normally would have done it but with the crowd I couldn't get through to the bar." She apologized. Suddenly, they heard shouting behind them.

"What do you mean you're stronger than me Flame Brain?" Gray shouted, butting heads with the pink haired boy. Natsu had a ticked off expression and looked ready to fight.

"I mean that Mystogan taught me enough things to let me kick your ass with my eyes closed Popsicle!" He shouted, shaking a fist at the stripper. Before they could go any farther Mira got between them.

"Alright you two, we're supposed to be celebrating not fighting so get along for at least today ok?" She asked, giving both of them a menacing smile. The ice mage shivered in fear while the dragon slayer simply grinned at her and gave her a big hug.

"Mira! Thanks for taking care of Happy!" He yelled.

"It was no trouble at all and Gray actually helped me with watching him." She answered. Natsu let go of her and turned back to the other male. From what Lucy had seem a moment ago, she expected him to try and punch Gray but instead he simply held out a fist towards the stripper.

"Thanks for giving her a hand." The dragon slayer said.

"She dragged me into it but no problem." The ice mage replied, giving him a grin and returning the fist bump. The pink haired boy then looked down to see Happy pulling his pant leg.

"Natsu can we get some fish, I'm hungry." He asked, trying to look as cute as possible. Natsu laughed and picked up his friend, putting him on his shoulder.

"Yeah buddy, let's get some food!" He cheered, heading to a table. Lucy and Mira giggled at his antics while Gray shrugged and followed him.

"I'll get you guys some food, why don't you go and sit with them in the meantime?" The barmaid suggested. The blonde nodded and sat down at the table the boys were at just in time to hear the dragon slayer ask a question.

"So where's Erza?" He asked the ice mage. Hearing that name the stripper paled and looked over his shoulder.

"Thankfully she's on a mission right now but she should be coming back sooner or later, hopefully later." He answered, muttering the last part to himself.

"Who's Erza?" Lucy asked, confused by his reaction. Natsu shivered a bit before answering her question.

"Erza is a S-class wizard who is very scary person." He explained, frightening her slightly

"I swear she's more monster than human." Gray added, scaring the blonde even more.

"Just what can she do that's so scary?" She asked them. At that, Happy raised his hand to provide an explanation.

"She's super strong and she has magic that makes people bleed!" He said, chewing on a fish he had some how managed to get his hands on.

"She's a real man!" Elfman suddenly cheered, walking up to them. He went flying back a second later when the other two males socked him in the face.

"We didn't ask you!" They shouted at the same time before they stared at each other in disbelief.

"Don't repeat what I say stripper!" Natsu complained, butting his head against Gray's.

"Then don't say the same thing I'm saying!" The ice mage argued, glaring at the other boy. Elfman suddenly came running at them with his fists raised.

"MAN!" He yelled but was thrown back once again from the two other males who had kicked him simultaneously.

"SHUT UP!" They shouted. They then immediately turned to each other and punched the other in the face.

"I said don't copy me!" They yelled, swinging fists and kicking as quickly as they could. While they were doing that and Lucy gazed on in shock, Mirajane walked up to their table with some plates of food. She looked at them and shook her head with a small smile on her face. A women at the next table, who was drinking an entire barrel of beer, turned to the blonde.

"Don't worry about them, they used to fight all the time before Natsu left on his trip so it's actually nice to see them fighting. I'm Cana by the way." She introduced herself. She went to take another drink from barrel but before she could Natsu crashed into her. She fell down and her alcohol went spilling over the floor.

"You idiots! You'll pay for that!" She screamed, jumping into the fray and Elfman returned a second later, also joining the fight. Pretty quickly the entire guild was once more in a massive brawl. Lucy was hiding, as was Mira who had decided not to get into the fray this time around. Happy was actually in the fight too, swinging fish around, smacking guild members left and right. Elfman was bashing heads and decking anyone who even got close to his enormous fists. Gray was punching and kicking left and right, taking out everyone who got in his way. At one point he even threw Elfman at a table. Cana was also doing pretty well, jumping around and hitting some of the male guild members in places that left them curled up on the ground. As strong as the others were, the best fighter out of all them had to be Natsu.

The dragon slayer was a juggernaut in the guild brawl. Any hit he took, he simply shrugged it off before returning one with twice as much power, sometimes more. Those times, were the ones when he actually could be hit. Most of the time he would simply lean to the side to dodge a punch or bow under a kick and then finishing off the opponent with a swift punch that would send them flying out of the group and slamming into a wall. If you saw how he was moving you would even think it looked like dancing. Throughout the entire brawl you could hear the boy's laughter and could see him grinning like a maniac. At one point he even jumped on the counter, threw his head back and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"I'M BACK FAIRY TAIL!" He screamed to the sky, revealing in the mayhem they were causing. Then he looked back at the chaos and smiled.

"Nothing will change this, I'll make sure of it. I hope you're ready you bastard, because this is war." He muttered to himself before throwing himself back into the fight. With all of the commotion no one heard his declaration. No one that was except for a blonde wizard who had been hiding under the exact place he had been standing.

 **-In the masters office-**

Makarov sighed, hearing all of the noise coming from the guild hall and into his office. They usually went overboard but now that Natsu was back it was only going to get worse.

'And he's probably going to get even more destructive on missions too.' The master thought, anime tears falling down his cheeks at the thought of all of the paperwork and apologies he was going to have to write. Suddenly a knock sounded at his door. The old man wasn't surprised by the noise, he had agreed to the meeting after all. Mystogan then walked into the room and took a seat. Once he was comfortable, Makarov began the conversation.

"How is Macao doing?" He asked the S-class mage.

"He's fine now. He only had bruises and a broken bone or two nothing serious. He's sleeping in the infirmary right now with his son watching over him." The other answered. The master nodded in acceptance before bringing up the real reason for the talk.

"The trip went well I hope." He said to the younger man, who nodded his head.

"Yes, the training he went through made him much stronger. Not only has his magic gotten even more powerful but apparently his senses have gotten even better though I don't know how that's possible. He can use the staff on his back effectively and he has several spells written down that he can use." He explained. The master was surprised by how much Natsu had grown but he was confused by something.

"It sounds like the training went well and that he is almost strong enough to be S-class if not already but is that the reason why you wanted to talk with me?" He questioned, wondering what this was really about.

"No there was something else I wanted to mention to you." Here the S-class wizard paused, as if having an internal debate. After a few minutes of silence the old man grew impatient.

"Well, what is it?" He asked. At that Mystogan jerked, as though dragged out of his thoughts. He looked up at Makarov before shaking his head and standing up.

"That's it, sorry for keeping you away from the celebration master." He apologized, bowing slightly. The guild master watched him for a bit, knowing he was keeping something to himself but eventually giving up on it.

'If Mystogan thinks it's important then he'll share it.' He thought to himself.

"Alright then, are you going to stay for the party?" He asked out loud but the S-class wizard simply shook his head.

"Well in that case good night Mystogan." The short man said, getting from his seat and heading towards the door and opening it. Before he could go through it however, he was stopped by the younger man's voice.

"I know you keep an eye on everyone at this guild since they are all family, but please, keep an eye on Natsu. He is pushing himself more and more with each passing day and soon, he's going to break, whether from himself or what he's doing I don't know but please take care of him." He asked. He could see the master's frame in the light of the door. It was small but had a feeling to it that commanded respect. Only when he had given a brisk nod did Mystogan realise he had been holding his breath. He got up and left the guild, walking down the street where only hours earlier he had been going in the other direction.

'I wish you well Natsu, and I hope for your sake, that you win.'

 **And done! It was a bit shorter than the others but that was because it was a bit of a filler chapter before the Lullaby arc. That arc will start next chapter and will of course have Erza in it. There is a bit of NaLu but that's to keep you guessing ong who I'll pick. HAHA! Evil, aren't I?**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

 **Hello everybody, it's nice to be posting another chapter and I have a response to a person who reviewed the story and I do want to say thank you for doing that!**

 **Frozem1: Thank you for reviewing once more and answering my question. To reply to yours, I do not think Natsu will go into full dragon force like you suggested because of how the manga story plot is. He will have regular dragon force like in the tower of Heaven and in Nirvana.**

The sun rose on another day in Magnolia and also shone on the guild of Fairy Tail, revealing the mess from the other night. Tables were smashed and chairs and bottles thrown everywhere. The guild members were strewn about haphazardly with some of them collapsed on the floor. Others were lying on their backs on tables or were sleeping on benches. Even the master was asleep, resting his head on his chest and snoring lightly. That was the scene Lucy walked into that morning when she arrived at the guild. She looked around at the destruction in shock before making her way to the bar where the only awake people were.

"Did they party all night?" She asked Mira and Natsu who were drinking cups of coffee. The barmaid flashed her a smile before going to get her a cup as well.

"Yeah, that's how these parties usually end up." Natsu said, chuckling before he took a sip of coffee.

"Speaking of usually, I'm surprised you're not passed out as well." Mirajane mentioned, setting a cup of coffee down on the counter. The pink haired boy shook his head before replying.

"Nah, I have too much energy to be asleep after that party and besides I have a lot of things to do today." He commented, taking another sip. Suddenly he paused and lowered his cup to take a sniff at the air.

"Hey Mira, what's the date?" He asked the barmaid. She put her finger on her chin in thought before answering.

"It's the 5th, why?" She said, turning to him out of curiosity. Instead of replying, the dragon slayer pulled out a notebook. Instead of the black one that Lucy had seen it was a red one. He flipped it open and began to go through the pages until he finally stopped on one. He read it for a few seconds and then started trembling but he kept reading. By the time he was finished he was shaking in fear.

"What's wrong with you Natsu?" Mira asked, gazing at his reaction in worry. He glanced up her before putting on a smile.

"Yeah, yeah I'm just fine. N-nothing to worry about." He chuckled nervously. Now even Lucy was watching him. The dragon slayer then turned around and ran out. The girls looked at each other but before they could say anything he ran back in. Panic was written all over his face as he hurried over to the bar. Suddenly he began to climb on it.

"What are you doing!?" Lucy shrieked, shocked at his antics. He ignored her and finished getting on the bar. He turned to the knocked out members, took a deep breath, and yelled.

"EVERYONE WAKE UP!" He shouted as loud as he could. Some of the less drunk members woke up like Happy and Gray, rubbing their eyes and yawning sleepily.

"What's bothering you Natsu?" The cat asked, yawning cutely.

"Erza comes back today!" Natsu yelled. The guild broke into frantic cleaning.

"Come on Lucy! We need to get the guild clean before Erza gets back!" Natsu yelled jumping down and dragging Lucy to a part of the guild.

"Why is everyone so frightened?" Lucy asked. The guild hall froze up at her words.

"Erza is coming back! She could kick a mountain in half if she wanted!" Happy yelled flying around Lucy's head. Even Gray shivered in fear. The only one who wasn't terrified was Mira, who simply cleaning the bar and whistling.

"We made it in time," Natsu said after they cleaned the guild hall head to toe.

"MYSTOGAN GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!" Natsu yelled at the stairs for the masked mage. When he didn't get a reply, the dragon slayer growled and began to head towards the second floor.

"Natsu you can't go up there," Mira said nicely. Lucy turned to her in confusion.

"Why not?" She asked.

"Only S-Class mages can go up there," Mira explained. Natsu shrugged and continued to walk up the stairs.

"No prob. I don't intend to go on an S-Class for a while. I just want to bring Mystogan down here," Natsu said as the climbed the stairs. The came down them a moment later, dragging a reluctant Mystogan behind him.

"When did he get here?!" Gray exclaimed in surprise. Natsu turned to him.

"When everyone was passed out," Natsu said simply, shrugging his shoulders

"What? You thought I didn't have a house in Magnolia?" he S-class wizard questioned, smirking under his mask.

"If it's any help he is living with me in a temporary house actually," Natsu said. The guild turned to Natsu in confusion.

"Why temporary?" Lucy asked.

"My old house hasn't been used for two years and is a wreck. I have to rebuild it so until then we are renting a place," Natsu said flinging an arm around Mystogan. The other wizard didn't seem to appreciate that but he didn't comment on it.

"So when's the runt going to get kicked out for going upstairs to the second floor?" An obnoxious voice asked. Turning everyone a big muscular man was the one who asked. He had his usual headphones on and his leopard pattern coat. His face would of been considered handsome with his lightning bolt scar but it was marred by his sneer that he had plastered on his face.

"Who is that?" Lucy asked the barmaid who had a frown on her face.

"He's Laxus, the master's grandson and one of the most powerful S-class mages we have." Mira explained, watching the scene in front of her.

"Not one of the strongest, the strongest." Laxus corrected her with a chuckle.

"Please, I could easily beat you." Natsu said turning away from him. The guild members stared at Natsu in shock.

"What are you talking about?! He has kicked your ass so many times it's unreal!" Gray yelled shaking Natsu on the shoulders.

"Let's just say I have several tricks up my sleeves," Natsu said smirking.

"You smug little brat, why don't you come up here and say that?" The lightning mage taunted.

"I would but I want to avoid smelling that stuff you call cologne at all costs. My nose would die if I had to go into an enclosed space with you," Natsu taunted. Gray and everyone else looked like they were thinking of what flowers would look best for his funeral.

"Really that's all you got my cologne? Looks like you're dumber than I thought." The lightning mage challenged, scoffing at the dragon slayers insult. To everyone surprise, instead of getting upset, the pink haired boy shrugged before replying.

"Well I could call you weak and selfish and that you're a pitiful excuse for a Fairy Tail mage, but then that would hurt your ego and we wouldn't want that, now would we?" He replied with a smirk.

"You little brat!" Laxus roared, shooting up from his chair. There was a short pause before he frowned in confusion. He then glared even harder at Natsu who dropped his smile.

"What did you do, you little punk!?" He shouted at him. The dragon slayer was now giving him a hard look that no one had ever seen before. He didn't move from where he was.

"I merely placed an enchantment on your chair when I went up there to drag Mysty down. If you had been paying attention instead of lazing around you would have noticed my hand was encased in a blue fire. That was a spell to keep you from using magic for the next fifteen minutes. Now if you don't mind I would like to enjoy my day in peace," Natsu said. His hand lit on fire and the muttered something under his breath. Laxus stood up and stormed out the guild hall. No pun intended.

"I had a feeling you would do something sort of humiliating prank when I saw the fire. I'm just glad I wasn't the victim this time. And Mysty? Really?" Mystogan broke the stunned silence after a few minutes. Even with the mask on most of the guild could tell he was complaining and they were shocked.

"Yes I called him Mysty and I'm proud of it." Natsu said happily. Natsu paused to sniff the air and paled in fear. Before anyone could ask what was bothering him, the guild doors opened. A red-head wearing armor and carrying giant horn walked in. She marched to the middle of the guild and looked around at everyone. The guild members were now sweating bullets, hoping that she wouldn't notice the mess they had only minutes ago. After a few moments of scrutinizing, she nodded her head and everyone took a huge sigh of relief.

"Who is she and why is everyone so scared of her?" Lucy asked Mira who was was next to her at the bar.

"That's Erza, the person Natsu was talking about. As to why they're scared of her, you're about to see for yourself." The barmaid whispered back and the blonde turned just in time to see the armored mage fix her glare upon some of the others.

"Everyone, I'm glad the guild isn't destroyed but I heard some very bad rumors about Fairy Tail while I was on my quest." She announced, and some of the Fairy Tail wizards began to tremble in terror. Erza looked around until she fixed her gaze upon several barrels of beer and the person drinking them.

"Cana!" She shouted, and the drinker choked on the beer she had been gulping. "I heard that you finished the job just fine but then you broke into a mansion so you could taste their wine. That's unacceptable!" She scolded and the other women bowed her head in shame but the redhead had already moved onto her next target.

"Elfman! You did your job protecting the client but you terrified him at the same time!" Erza scolded.

"He was insulting Manliness," Elfman muttered. Erza ignored him.

"Nab! I thought I would find you here! Just pick a job! Macao. I don't even know where to start with you." She said, sighing in despair. She then turned towards the bar and froze. There standing in front of her was a smiling Natsu. She stood there, shocked as he gave her his trademark grin.

"Hey." Natsu said raising a hand to her. That was all it took for Erza's control to break. Erza ran over to him and punched him on the head.

"YOU IDIOT! I WAS WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU AND ALL YOU CAN SAY IS HEY!" Erza yelled furiously. She continued yelling as the dragon slayer slowly sat up from the table that he crashed into, rubbing his head in pain.

"Missed you too Erza." Natsu said smiling. There was a small pause with her glaring at him until he let out a gasp.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I got presents for you and Gray!" He exclaimed happily. He reached into his cloak and brought out his black notebook. The guild looked at it in confusion, before Natsu said something and put his hand in the notebook. They watched on in shock as Natsu pulled out two wrapped packages. The handed the larger one to Erza and the smaller one to Gray. They stared at them in confusion and looked back at the pink haired boy who was motioning with his hands.

"Come on, open them!" He cheered, and slowly they unwrapped the gifts. Erza opened hers and gasped in shock. In her hands was a massive cake, twice the size of her head. She gently placed it on a nearby table before engulfing Natsu into a hug.

"Hershey's strawberry cheesecake!" Erza squealed as she tried to suffocate Natsu, slamming him into her armored breast plate. While she was doing that Gray had finished opening his present and was holding the pants out in the air in front of him.

"T-they n-need a special w-word to get them to stay on so they are u-unstripable." Natsu panted after he got free from Erza's hug. Gray looked at him happily and slipped them on over his boxers, which was the only thing he was wearing at the time.

"Thanks Flame-Brain." Gray said, slapping his friend on the back. They turned to Erza and saw that she had already eaten about half of the cake. Everyone was either staring at Natsu in shock from the magic he had just displayed which was about all of the guild, or staring at the redheaded mage as she demolished the cake. Lucy and Mystogan were really the only ones watching her, having not seen her with strawberry cake before.

"Natsu where did you learn to do that?" Mira asked. Natsu turned to look at her.

"Traveling with Mysty. We stopped at all kinds of libraries and book stores. I needed a way to keep the books with me so i found some books on storage seals and made my own. Took about a week to get it completed. Now i have a way to carry everything. It won't add weight and can store about every size item. I also learned a few other types of Magic and Mysty helped me get over my motion sickness." Natsu explained. Gray turned to Natsu shocked.

"WHAT! How the hell did he help you get over it?!" Gray exclaimed. Natsu turned to glare at Mystogan.

"He trapped me on a boat for two months. Two whole months." Natsu muttered darkly. Everyone except Lucy and Mystogan winced in sympathy knowing how bad he was on transportation.

"It worked didn't?" Mystogan replied, shrugging his shoulders

"Wait, you have motion sickness?" The blonde asked, surprised. Whenever they had been on a train, the dragon slayer hadn't looked sick at all, only bored at times.

"I did have it but not anymore." He responded with a grin. Suddenly he frowned and turned to the cake eating women who was almost finished with her meal.

"Erza, is there another reason you came back to the guild besides finishing the job?" He asked her. Erza then frowned as well and put her fork down.

"Yes actually there was, how did you know that?" She asked, giving him a suspicious look but Natsu simply chuckled and scratched the back of his head.

"Call it a hunch." He commented, before getting serious again. The redhead stared at him for a few more moments before turning to Mira.

"Is the master here right now?" She asked the barmaid.

"No, he left to the masters meeting in Clover and he won't be back for another two days." She replied. Behind them Macao, who was well enough to walk now, leaned over to his friend Wakaba.

"With how much he drank last night, I'm surprised he could even walk straight." He muttered to him.

"What was that about drinking?" Erza asked, turning around to look at them. Both of them immediately began to shake in terror, dreading about what she would do to them.

"We had a p-party to celebrate Natsu coming back and a new member." Macao said frightened.

"Oh, well, why didn't you just say so?" Erza asked with a smile, making people gape at her in shock.

"What else did you need to tell us Erza?" Natsu said getting everyone back on track.

"Ah, yes well I was only going to ask Gray but since you're here too, I would like to ask both of you to help me with a situation." Erza said. Natsu nodded in acceptance.

"One condition. You and I battle when we get back. I want to finally prove I'm the strongest." Natsu said with a grin.

"Deal. Now go pack. I'll see you at the train station in one hour." Erza said. Gray left to go pack, while Natsu took a seat next to the red-headed mage's cake where she sat back at.

"Can Mystogan come along? As well as Lucy?" Natsu asked.

"Why those two?" Erza inquired.

"Lucy needs experience and I need to keep Natsu from over doing it" Mystogan said sitting on the other side of Erza. Erza nodded in acceptance although glancing at the other S-class mage with some confusion while Lucy ran out to pack with a blue cat flying behind her just to bother her.

"You usually work by yourself though, besides when you trained Natsu. Why the sudden change?" Erza asked. Mystogan glanced at Natsu briefly before answering her.

"Let's just say I've grown attached to a certain pyro and leave it at that." Mystogan said. Natsu's face broke into a wide smile.

"I KNEW YOU LIKED ME!" Natsu yelled pouncing on Mystogan.

"Ultimate owes me a thousand jewels now!" Natsu said happily. Suddenly he froze and looked at the other.

"I said her name wrong again didn't I?" Natsu asked releasing Mystogan.

"Yes." Mystogan said simply, causing the dragon slayer to face palm.

"Who's Ultimate?" Mira asked, confused by what he said. The dragon slayer quickly waved his hands in a quick

"It's no one!" Natsu exclaimed, glancing around nervously. The barmaid decided to let the matter drop for now since he didn't seem like he wanted to talk about it. Erza then stood up, having finished her cake.

"Well I am going to go to the station and get us some seats." Natsu said rising from his seat.

"I'll come with you and the others can catch up." The armored women said, getting ready to head out. Mystogan silently followed the others as they walked to the train station. Once they reached it Lucy and Gray were waiting for them.

"We got food on the way." Natsu said holding up several bags. The handed some of them to Gray. Lucy noticed that Erza and Mystogan were also carrying a bunch of bags along with a huge mountain of suitcases..

"Did you get a compartment?" Erza asked.

"Aye Ma'am!" Happy yelled flying out of the train window to them.

"Do you really need that much food or luggage?" Lucy asked.

"With how much Natsu needs to eat, yes." Mystogan replied. The group somehow managed to get all the food and luggage into one compartment before sitting in their seats.

"Here Happy. Bag of fish all for you." Natsu said handing Happy a bag of fish. Happy cheered and immediately started eating.

"What do you want Erza?" Natsu asked after they had set all the food out.

"I'll take the chicken and the strawberries." Erza replied. Gray grabbed them and passed them over to her. He then grabbed some lunch meat and made a few sandwiches for himself. Lucy decided to eat some spaghetti and Mystogan didn't have much of an appetite so the grabbed a chocolate milkshake, drinking it through a straw while still keeping his mask on. Natsu just started by eating whatever was closest to him. They continued like that for a while, eating their food or drink while they remained silent. After some time Erza cleared her throat to get the others attention before speaking.

"Now, for the reason I need your help. On my way back I stopped at a pub and overheard some mages talking. They were from a dark guild. Eisenwald. They were talking about something called Lullaby." Erza started.

"Lullaby. As in the demon flute Lullaby?" Natsu asked even though he already knew the answer.

'It's best if everyone knows what's coming up soon.' He thought to himself.

"What do you mean demon flute?" Erza asked, glancing at him curiously. Before he could answer however, Lucy beat him to it.

"I heard of that flute! It uses death magic! Everyone who hears it dies!" Lucy exclaimed. Everyone was quiet for a moment, absorbing the news they had just heard.

"What else do you know about Lullaby?" Gray asked.

"Well, it's also a demon from the book of Zeref." Natsu explained, getting everyone's attention including Mystogan's.

"What do you mean Pinky?" Gray asked his rival. The dragon slayer's eye twitched in annoyance but he didn't react otherwise.

"What I'm trying to say is that it's not just a flute. It can change it's shape into a giant, Droopy eyes." He said, glaring at the ice mage.

"How's that even possible?!" Lucy asked, horrified by the notion of a huge giant, trying to stomp on her.

"The flute itself is a demon. Relatively weak compared to the others but a demon none the less. It has death magic and the spell needed to make it increase it's size is only restricted by the seal placed on it." Natsu said. Erza had been quiet up to this point but she decided to ask something that was bothering him..

"How do you know all this?" She said. Natsu pulled out his red notebook and held it up.

"I've been doing a lot of research on things that have to do with the dark guilds and some other things as well." He explained to her before putting his notebook back under his cloak before she could reach out and grab it. He shook his head at her glare that the redhead gave him.

"You can't read it even if you could get it," Natsu said. That didn't stop Erza giving him a swift punch to the gut. Natsu chuckled as Erza pulled her hand away with a wince.

"I suggest you don't try that again. With my training, I'm more like a dragon now. That also includes scales if I want." He explained to her before pulling back his right sleeve up to his shoulder. All of the others except for Mystogan gasped in amazement as they saw small scales covering his arm. They were rounded and seemed to overlap each other creating a form of armor. After a few seconds the scales melted back into his skin.

"You just like to show off, don't you?" The masked wizard asked, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

"Never. You don't let me." Natsu replied smirking.

"If you show off with your flames it does too much damage to the surrounding items. And inflates your ego." Mystogan retorted.

"True, I wouldn't like to end up as Laxus." He accepted, shrugging his shoulders. Everyone else were still too shocked by the scales while they were talking but they were brought back to reality by the dragon slayer.

"I think we should get ready for our stop." Natsu said. The others looked out the window, and saw that he was right, as they almost reached their stop. Everyone got up and stepped off the train once it stopped. They took a couple minutes to wait for Erza to get her huge cart of luggage. They began to walk away but Happy suddenly stopped. The wizards continued to walk for another couple of steps before they paused and looked back at the cat.

"What's wrong Happy?" Lucy asked, walking back to him. He was standing still, looking around the train station and then back at the train.

"Guys?" He asked, looking at them again.

"What's wrong with you cat?" Gray asked, stepping up to them. Before Happy could reply, Mystogan suddenly groaned in frustration.

"What's wrong?" Erza questioned, concerned for her teammate but he seemed fine. The masked wizard sighed before replying.

"I just realized, we left Natsu on the train." He stated and they all turned just in time to see the train pull out of the station. Everyone was silent for a moment, just staring in disbelief before shouting out one word.

"NATSU!"

 **Alright guys thanks for reading and I hope you liked it. REVIEW YOU CRAZY PEOPLE!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 **Hello everyone, here's the next chapter and I hope you enjoy!**

 **Frozem1: I'm sorry but I will not be doing dragonification in this story.**

 **Wacko12: If you want to find out if Natsu is stronger than Erza you'll have to read on! Also this story is not an END theory but the other one you are reading is.**

"You know it is convenient they still forgot me." Natsu chuckled as the sat back in his chair.

"Is this seat taken?" a voice asked. Natsu looked up and saw Kageyama motioning to the seat across from him. The dark wizard still had his black pineapple hairstyle and white with the kanji for death on the back.

"Nah, take it," Natsu said casually. Kageyama sat down and started talking. Natsu tuned him out until he felt a foot in his face.

"Well, I didn't notice it before but you're part of the Fairy trash aren't you?" The man asked, pushing his foot harder into the dragon slayer's face. Suddenly Natsu grabbed Kageyama's foot and twisted, throwing him across the train car. He laid back down trying to get some sleep but the sudden brake of the train threw him forward.

"Well so much for relaxing the rest of the ride." He complained. He stood up and flexed his arms. Suddenly the dark wizard rushed him again trying to punch him. This time the dragon slayer dodged his fist, and with a simple motion, tripped him and sent him flying.

"Fairy Tail trash? I'm stronger than you think idiot!" He bragged, getting up from his seat. The black haired man slowly got up again, hatred in his eyes.

"I'll kill you! **Shadow Strike!** " He yelled, stomping on the floor. His shadow came up from under him and flew at the dragon slayer, each as sharp as knives. The pink haired boy simply grinned and leaned left and right, dodging every attack before he threw himself at Kageyama. He pulled his fist and got ready to punch him.

" **Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"** He called throwing his flaming punch forward. As his opponent came closer the other slammed his hands onto the floor.

" **Shadow Wall!"** He shouted, raising a barrier of pure darkness to block the attack. The white fire collided with the black wall and an explosion ripped through the train. After the dust settled, Natsu was standing over Kageyama who was groaning in pain. As the dark wizard struggled to get up, a small object rolled out of his jacket pocket. It looked like a flute, but it had a cold feeling about it, as if it radiated death. When the dragon slayer saw it his eyes gleamed in excitement.

"Finally I've got you Lullaby." He said, reaching forward to grab it. Before he could, his enemy tackled him, throwing to the ground. They stopped using magic and went straight to plain old bashing each other with fists while the train started up again. They rolled back and forth fighting each other over control. The flute also went around the train car bouncing and tumbling around.

"Get off!" Natsu shouted, gutting Kageyama with a punch.

"Not until I get that flute!" He retorted, trying to kick the pink haired boy in the chest. The dragon slayer grabbed his foot and angled it up, dropping him to the ground. Before he could do anything else he heard someone yelling at him. Turning he saw Erza riding along side them in a magicmobile.

"Natsu jump!" She shouted at him. Instead of listening to her he continued to beat up his enemy. Lucy stuck her head out of the window of the car and began yelling at him too.

"Natsu, we need to go! Erza can't continue using this much energy at once." She called to him.

"I need to get the flute!" He finally said, throwing one last punch before beginning to look around franticly.

"Natsu we need you to stay with us!" Erza tried again, starting to feel the drain on her magic. He paused and looked around one last time before turning and jumping off the train. He flew through the air and managed to grab onto the edge of the car. It slowed down until finally he was able to step off without faceplanting. Once it stopped the rest of group climbed out to talk with him but he simply scowled at them.

"You should've just left me on the train." He snarled at them. The others looked at him, startled by his sudden frustration.

"So what? You wanted us to just leave you on the train?" Gray asked, glaring at the dragon slayer.

"Yes! You could have just gone behind and caught up with me later!" Natsu shouted.

"It would be better if we all stay together." Mystogan argued.

"Not when I was dealing with a Eisenwald member. I almost had him!" The dragon slayer complained. He seemed like he wanted to say something else but before he could Erza stepped in front of him.

"And you just let him get away?" She asked, making a motion to punch him but before she could, Natsu grabbed her fist and her arm and then twisted. The next thing she knew, she was flat on her back and had a glowering dragon slayer looking down at her.

"Don't do that again Erza. It was funny the first time but I'm not the same little kid that you can push around all you want. I'm stronger now, and I won't take your treatment of me anymore. I didn't let him get away, you did. I would have been fine on my own but you were so caught up in pushing yourself as hard as you could you didn't even think about that because you think I'm so weak and pathetic." He hissed at her, revealing his fangs and making it look like he was snarling at her. She simply stared at him in shock, surprised by this sudden mood shift from what he had been like earlier. Hours ago he had been cheerful and full of good humor but now however, it seemed that he was upset at her maybe almost enraged . He glared at for another second before looking over to Mystogan.

"And you! Why didn't you say anything to them? You of all people should know what I'm capable of!" He growled. Unsurprisingly the masked man didn't respond. When he continued to stay quiet Lucy decided to try and intervene.

"N-natsu, why don't you calm down a bit?" She suggested. She didn't understand why he was so upset but the way he was glaring reminded her a lot of the look he had on in the mansion when they got her new key. Natsu spun around to face her, his scowl growing even deeper.

"Stay out of this Lucy, this has nothing to do with you so stay out of the damn way!" Natsu shouted at her. If everyone was shocked before, they were stunned by what they were seeing. They hadn't known Lucy that long but Natsu did seem to care for a lot so for him to be yelling at her rocked all of them to their core. Before anyone could react, Mystogan suddenly stepped forward. A resounding crack was heard through the area as the S-class mage slugged the dragon slayer in the face. The strike was powerful enough to through the pink haired boy to the ground where he held his broken nose in pain and stared at his mentor in shock.

"Your guildmates are making sure you're safe in their own way but instead you are trying to do everything yourself and tossing away their offers of help. After everything that… happened, which you still won't tell me all about, I thought you would try and be closer to them. You can't do everything on your own Natsu and your friends are going to need you as much as you are going to need them so stop the self pity and listen to what they are telling you!" He scolded Natsu, actually fury evident in the usually calm wizard. As he was giving his speech the boy on the ground slowly bowed his head in shame. Each word uttered hit him like a physical blow, adding onto the guilt he was feeling.

'He's right. I was so focused on fighting and keeping the others out of it, I just lashed out when I was forced to stop so they wouldn't get hurt. The very thing I'm trying to do!' He screamed inside his own head. How was he supposed to help them if he was hurting them?

Looking up he saw tears forming in Lucy's eyes from the hurtful words he had said. Next to her Happy had his ears pulled over his ears like he always did when he was worried. Gray was looking at him in complete shock at what had just happened. The one that hurt him the most however, was the gaze in Erza's eyes. She was still on the ground, watching him with a tense expression, as if he might snap at any moment.

'I need to fix this and now before anything else happens.' He decided, standing up. He turned to Mystogan and nodded a thanks which he returned. Next he turned to Lucy and pulled her into a hug. He could feel her body rake from the silent sobs but she returned the gesture. As they hugged, Natsu whispered into her ear.

"I'm so sorry for what I said. I-' Here choked back his own sob before continuing. I should never have done that and I promise I will never and I mean never do it again. You are very important to me and I don't want any harm to come to you and I promise you I will make sure that it never happens." He told her and when he let go she had tears streaming down her face but a large smile as well. He returned the smile and turning around, faced Gray and Happy with his eyes dry.

"I'm sorry you guys saw me so frustrated." He said simply before turning to the last person he had to apologize to, and perhaps the most important one.

"Erza-' He began before pausing. He seemed to be struggling with words before he suddenly started stammering. 'I'm so so sorry I threw you. I was really upset about something but I shouldn't have taken it out on you or been angry with you at all. I was just so tired of everything, no, that's not right. I _am_ so tired of everything, all the suffering, all of the pain, I just wish it would end." He said, staring off into the distance. His shoulders were hunched, as if he were carrying a massive weight and his eyes were glazed giving them an empty look. Erza stared at him, her shock growing even more. She had known him for a long time but she had always seen him with a fire in his eyes. If she looked closely she could see a flicker of that enthusiasm but he mostly looked sad about something he was remembering. Suddenly he blinked his eyes, snapping him out of his day dreaming and the armored mage out of her studying, and turned to grin at her.

"Come on Erza, why don't we kick some dark guild but?" He suggested, offering her his hand. She looked at it for a moment before looking back up at him. She then gave him a small smile, accepting his outstretched limb. He pulled her up and gave her a nervous grin.

"So, no punching me right?" He asked, scratching his head hesitantly. Surprisingly she just chuckled and shook her head.

"No you're right Natsu. I have been rather, aggressive, with how I've been treating you and Gray but I did it because I thought you would grow." She said to him.

"What about now?" Gray asked. His response was a fist to the head, knocking on the ground and knocking him out at the same time.

"You, yes.' She said to the unconscious boy before turning back to the dragon slayer. 'But you've gotten much stronger while you were gone. You grew up while you were gone and truthfully, I shouldn't treat you as a kid anymore." She decided. Natsu gave a giant smile and with Gray slung over his shoulder the two, with the rest of the group, headed back to the car. The rest climbed in but Natsu stopped Erza before she could get in the driver's seat.

"Why don't you sit with the others while I drive? You need to rest anyways." He suggested. She thought about it for a moment before nodding in agreement.

"Alright but please, we need to hurry." She said. He nodded and started up the magicmobile. She was about to get in the back but paused and turned to him.

"Natsu, what are you going to do about your nose?" She asked the injured dragon slayer. He blinked in surprise before feeling his broken nose. He surprised her by laughing.

"Don't worry about it, I'll be fine." He assured her before grabbing his nose and giving it a sharp jerk. She could hear an audible snap but he didn't even react to the pain he must have been feeling. She gave him another look before climbing into the car. Before Natsu could begin driving, Happy got up and flew forward and sat next to him. The dragon slayer glanced at him before shrugging. Natsu gunned the engine and they shot off after the train at a high speed pace. The others held on to whatever they could before they finally got used to the bumping they started a conversation.

"What was bothering him?" Lucy asked once she managed to stop flying off her seat and bumping into Gray, which managed to wake him up. Erza and Mystogan seemed to be unphased by the bouncing with the redhead acting as if nothing was happening and the masked man staring at the window.

"Who knows with Pinky?" He commented, shrugging his shoulders. Erza was silent for a moment before turning to Mystogan.

"Do you have any idea why he was so upset that we caught up with him?" She asked the other S-class wizard. He continued to look out the window for several more minutes as if he hadn't heard her question. The armored mage quickly grew irritated at the silence but before she could repeat her question he suddenly started speaking.

"I don't know all the details but I will tell you what I can. Several years ago, before he joined Fairy Tail he was friends with several people his age and was very close to them. Really some would say that they were more than friends, they were did everything together, from having adventures and sharing laughs to comforting one another in their times of need." He explained to them, still staring out the window. The others stared at him listening to his story with smiles.

"That sounds a lot like Fairy Tail." Gray noticed and Mystogan gave a humorless chuckle at his comment.

"You could say that it was just like our guild and like us they held out through many troubles that threatened to tear them apart. Each time they fought for not only themselves but also the one they considered as family and every time they emerged victorious. Nothing could stand against their combined might,' Here he paused for a moment, finally turning his head to look at the other mages and said in a dead voice. 'nothing except for _him_." Here he stopped talking but none of them asked him to continue. The way he had said that last statement had them worried. He talked about it as if it was the end of a grim tale, where nothing but tragedy came from the end of the story.

They knew, almost instinctively, that he was giving them a choice, they could forget they ever wondered what had happened and continue on with their lives. Or they could ask him to continue, to answer their question and find out what happened to the ones Natsu called family. They could boldly go forward with the story as if they weren't afraid of it but in truth, they _were_ afraid to find out the answer. Finally after what seemed like an eternity Erza was the one to asked what everyone wanted to know. When she spoke her voice was hard and had an edge to it, the way she spoke when she was in a fight. She was ready to face this head on and she wasn't going to back down for anything.

"What happened?" She asked and Mystogan gave a small, sad sigh before speaking once more.

"The man had a name which Natsu has told me, but from how he's described him and what I know of the man he a name that would suit him better would be death." He started but before he could continue Lucy let out a gasp.

"What do you mean he's death?" She squeaked, terror written all over her face. The masked man immediately tried to calm her down.

"Please, let me finish and you'll understand Lucy." He asked her. She gave a small nod and he looked at the others, seeing they didn't have any questions he continued his story.

"This, _man_ , he was a powerful mage that used incredibly rare magic. Many people thought he was on of the most powerful man in the world and tried everything they could to gain his attention or try to help him in any way they could even if it meant hurting others. Some of those groups also fought Natsu and his friends but they always managed to win. Now this man, even though he was considered powerful and had people who would do whatever he wanted, he only had one wish to fulfill his life. He wished to die." Mystogan paused to take a breath and when he did so Gray jumped in with a question.

"Why would he want to die? It sounds pretty stupid to me." He commented to which the S-class mage immediately replied.

"True you value life to highly to try and take it away, but he also valued life, maybe even more than you. Even though he cherished life he was sick with a… disease. This illness was a strange one, as it did nothing to harm his body. What it did instead would drain the life out of the things around him, swiftly killing everything around him, including animals, plants, even humans. This man didn't want his life to continue in this way, killing all around him, so one day he decided to do something about it. He went to Natsu and asked him a simple request, to kill him and end his suffering." He explained and stopping once again for questions which Gray immediately asked.

"I still don't understand why he would want to die and even if he wanted to, why did Natsu have to do it? He could have just killed himself." Gray suggested. Lucy gaped at him for a moment before smacking him in the back of the head.

"Idiot! Haven't you listened to anything that he just told you? He killed everything around him! That meant he couldn't live with anyone, he couldn't talk to anyone, he couldn't even love anybody! What would you do if you were essentially alone in the world?" She demanded him. The ice wizard stared at her for several minutes before looking down in shame.

"I guess I sort of understand, I mean I don't know what I would do if I didn't have Fairy Tail." He admitted and the others smiled at him, all of them know exactly what he meant. To them the guild meant more than just friends or associates. It meant family and they all cared for each other with every fiber in their being. Their tender moment was interrupted by Mystogan clearing his throat.

"As to why he chose Natsu it's because of their meeting. When his illness tried to kill Natsu, it couldn't. Not even Natsu knows why it didn't affect him, all he knows is that he survived the unsurvivable." He explained but Erza frowned at what he said.

"That doesn't sound like a disease, especially with Natsu surviving. If anything, it sounds more like a curse." She commented and the masked mage nodded.

"Yes it does. Truthfully I don't know what it is that is affecting the man and neither can Natsu. What is important is that he survived, and made the man choose him for the task of ending his life. At that point Natsu made one of the worst mistake he made in his entire life. He allowed the man to live." He said and they gasped in shock, staring at him in horror.

"What do you mean that was a mistake?!" Lucy asked.

"Members of Fairy Tail don't kill people!" Erza exclaimed, glaring at Mystogan who again nodded at her.

"Yes we don't kill, but our enemies don't have that restriction, as you two know very well." He argued, focusing on the redhead and Gray. They were both silent, remembering some of the jobs they had been on where dark guilds had killed people. Mystogan seemed like he wanted to continue with the tale, but before he could a sudden commotion stopped him.

"I said no!" They heard Natsu shout. Everyone looked at each other in shock before Erza raised her voice.

"Natsu what's going on up there?" She asked towards the front of the car. There was silence for a moment before they received a reply.

"Everything is fine!" The dragon slayer yelled back. Everyone could tell something was bothering him but before anyone could ask, Mystogan drew their attention back towards him.

"Back to the story, after Natsu had his meeting with the man they both went their separate ways. The dragon slayer had many more adventures and soon forgot about what he was supposed to do. One day him and his friends were celebrated defeating a powerful foe. Everyone was tired but happy and overjoyed that it was over and no one had gotten hurt. That was when the man returned. He walked into the city they were at, approached Natsu and told him it was time to kill him." He said. He stopped talking, hesitating and debating on whether to continuing the tale or not. In the end Lucy decided for him.

"What did Natsu decide?" She asked in a small voice. Mystogan looked at her with a shocked expression. Out of all three of the wizards in front of him, he didn't expect her to ask. During their trip to Fairy Tail, he realized that the blond was nervous about having direct confrontations so seeing her ask was surprising to say the least. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and answered her question. While he did he paused several times, struggling with what he was saying.

"He said no, he would never kill the man. In response the man taunted him about… about killing his friends." He began and the others gasped but before they could say anything he continued talking, forging ahead and trying to finish his story.

"Natsu didn't tell me exactly what the man said to him but it caused him to fight the man. He attacked him with everything he had. He fought with everything he had. He even used his dragon force and his secret slayer arts but it was pointless. Everything he did was brushed off like it was nothing. Every time he knocked the man down, he got back up. He called Natsu weak and that he could do better. That's when the killings began. At that point the others had been trying to fight alongside with Natsu, hoping to defeat him. While they paused and tried to catch their breath the man spoke to them. He had decided that Natsu needed to get stronger and he would become even more powerful by having his friends die. Everyone became enraged by that and attacked him. Angered, their attacks became even more powerful but it was still useless. One by one the man killed Natsu's family, calmly ending their lives as if he was simply taking a walk. Soon the deaths turned into a full scale massacre with bodies everywhere. At that point Natsu snapped. He doesn't remember much of what happened, but when he came to the only two living beings were him and the man, death." He finished while the others stared at him in horror.

"All of them died?" Lucy asked and Mystogan nodded in confirmation. They were quiet for several minutes, trying to comprehend how one man could kill so many people. The silence was finally broken by the topic of discussion yelling at them.

"Guys, we're five minutes out from the train station!" Natsu shouted back at them. The others were still silent while the masked man replied to him. Once they confirmed with each other that everything was good, the S-class wizard turned to the rest.

"Do you have anymore questions before we fight Eisenwald?" He asked them. Gray and Lucy shook their heads but Erza nodded.

"Why did the man let Natsu live?" She asked.

"That's for Natsu to tell you, not me." He said and she frowned but didn't push the subject. Again, no one talked, each lost in their own thoughts.

"I wonder what Happy and Natsu are talking about?" Lucy wondered.

 **-At the same time-**

"How come you're not sitting in the back little guy?" Natsu asked his blue cat friend. His companion hesitated before answering.

"I wanted to ask you something." Happy replied, a frown marring his cute face. The dragon slayer glanced at him worriedly before focusing back on the road.

"What is it Happy?" He questioned, all enthusiasm gone from his tone, replaced by concern and seriousness. The cat folded back his ears and paused once more before talking.

"Why were you so upset with Lucy and the others?" He asked. Natsu sighed wearily, then replied.

"I was upset about… certain things and I lashed out at Erza and the other two." He explained to Happy but he had a confused expression.

"You were upset about the dark guild guy getting away?" He wondered. The pink haired boy shook his head at the question.

"No it wasn't really the problem." He admitted, shaking his head before swerving to avoid a boulder.

"Then what was it?" The cat asked with growing confusion. Why would Natsu just snap at his friends like that?

"It isn't anything important." Natsu said, waving his hand in dismissal.

"But it made you yell at the others." Happy argued, frowning some more.

"It isn't anything to concern yourself with." The dragon slayer repeated, his tone growing forceful but his friend didn't seem to notice and continued to pester him.

"Come on Natsu, you can tell me what's bothering you." He said, a smile adorning his face, showing why he gained the name 'Happy'. The human gave a small smile at his partners expression before growing serious once more.

"I said no." Natsu decided firmly, shaking his head again before pulling his attention away from the cat and focusing entirely on the road. Happy pouted for some time while they rode on in silence. Finally he decided to speak up once more.

"What about-" He started.

"I said no!" The dragon slayer shouted, turning to look at him. Happy froze, shocked by the boy's expression. He had a scowl on his face and was staring at his friend with a intense gaze. The most startling thing however was the look in his eyes. At first it seemed like he was glaring at the cat but if someone looked closely you could see how tired he really was. They stared at each other for several seconds until they heard Erza's voice.

"Natsu what's going on up there?" She asked them. He was quiet for a moment until he turned his head to yell back.

"Everything is fine!" He shouted to her. The two waited for a reply but instead all they heard was the murmur of voices as the others began talking again. The dragon slayer sighed in exasperation before looking back at Happy.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you, just please, don't ask that again." Natsu apologized to him, looking weary once more. His companion nodded in acceptance and they kept to themselves as they continued to drive towards their destination. Happy still wanted to ask but he decided to ask something else that had been bothering him.

"What happened to you Natsu?" The cat asked him and once again, the human sighed. He stayed silent for several minutes before replying.

"I-I lost something important once and I haven't been the same since." He explained, hunching his shoulders in defeat.

"What did you lose? Was it fish?" Happy asked and Natsu stared at him. It was easy to forget that Happy was only five years old and still didn't understand a lot of things about the world. His question managed to bring a small smile to his face as he rubbed the cat's head.

"No little guy, it wasn't fish, it was… it was my family." He admitted, dropping his grin and growing somber once more. The dragon slayer looked forward once more and blinked in surprise. He then turned his head towards the back of the car.

"Guys, we're five minutes out from the train station!" He shouted to the group of mages in the passenger seats. Happy glanced up and saw that they were indeed, nearing the town where the train was supposed to stop.

"Alright Natsu, is everything good up there?" Mystogan replied and the boy nodded albeit more to himself since the masked man couldn't see him.

"Yeah we're peachy!" He answered before focusing entirely on the road. Their quick talk seemed to be over so the cat reached over and hugged Natsu's arm, who looked at him in surprise.

"I wish you hadn't lost your family so that way everything could be back to normal." Happy said, burying his face in the human's sleeve. The dragon slayer stared at him for a couple seconds in shock before a sad smile formed on his face. He lifted his other arm until he could scratch his friend by the ears. Immediately the blue exceed began purring from the attention. Once Happy was relaxed, Natsu gazed forward again, muttering to himself as the train station came into view.

"I do too Happy. I wish that every single day."

 **Snake: ...And finished! I know there wasn't much excitement but now Natsu's friends are one step closer to the truth. Until next week!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The town of Oshibana was small in size, with only about ten thousand people living in it. Even though it wasn't as large as other places like Magnolia but it still had several spots of interest. It had several magic shops with dozens of different types of magic trinkets and a massive library that had several books on magic and the history it had with Fiore. Even though these areas were worth some attention, the place that held everyone's focus was Oshibana's train station. In front of the building was a large group of people, all of them chattering among themselves and creating a massive was the sight Natsu and the others saw when they parked their car in the town.

"What's going on over there?" Lucy asked her friends at they drew closer to the townspeople.

"Probably something to do with Eisenwald, whatever it was." Natsu replied, pushing his way through the crowd while the others followed in his wake.

"What makes you so sure of that Natsu?" Erza asked, slightly annoyed that she wasn't leading the group.

"Easy, watch." The dragon slayer answered, giving her a mischievous grin before turning forward again. He walked up to one of the train conductors, who were keeping people away from the building's steps, and tapped him on the shoulder, getting his attention.

"You're not supposed to be her kid, the train station is under lockdown!" The man cried in surprise, turning to see a pink haired boy standing in front of him.

"I know but I'm a wizard from Fairy Tail and I was wondering if I could help you with your problem." Natsu suggested to him, who thought about it for a moment before nodding.

"Alright, a dark guild has taken over the station and an army squad was sent in to take them out. The problem is that they haven't come back in some time so if you can help us out that would be amazing but i don't see how can you take them on all by yourself." He explained to the mage who nodded before giving him a wide smile.

"Don't worry I've got my guildmates with me and we can wipe the floor with those losers." He bragged. Then he walked to his friends and explained the details of the takeover.

"Let's stop talking and go kick their asses." Gray declared once his friend finished but a glare from Erza shut him up. Once he was effectively silenced, she turned back to look at the others.

"We do need to remove those villains from the train station but it has to be done smartly and effectively and we can't go rushing in recklessly." She argued and the ice mage nodded his head in acceptance. Together, they headed inside the building, prepared for a fight at any moment. Instead of the conflict they were expecting, they were met with only empty halls and the sound of their footsteps on the polished floors. After going down several more halls they finally came across a sign of life.

"Well now we know where the soldiers went." Natsu commented, looking around the room. Everywhere they looked they saw men collapsed and wounded. Their weapons were broken and their clothes ripped and damaged. In all, it look like a tornado had blown through the group.

"Are they alright?" Happy asked, fluttering in the air nervously. The others were frozen in shock but Natsu walked over and checked one of the guards pulse. After a minute he sighed in relief before turning to the others.

"It's fine guys, they're only unconscious." He assured them.

"Well now that we know they are alive, what are we going to do with them?" Gray asked.

"We need to take them to the hospital of course!" Lucy exclaimed, staring at him like he was insane.

"We can't do that Lucy." Mystogan argued, speaking for the first time since he had talked to them in the car.

"But they're hurt!" Happy shouted, shaking one of the men's shoulder in an attempt to wake him up.

"Maybe so but they aren't fatally injured and if we allow Eisenwald to continue with their devious actions then people may be killed." Mystogan gently explained to the two, resting his hand on the blond's shoulder. Natsu stared at his masked master.

'Wow, looks like he has some feelings than I gave him credit for.' The dragon slayer thought to himself. Lucy continued to stare at the man for a few seconds before nodding in understanding.

"We should get going now so we can catch up to the dark guild." Gray suggested and the rest nodded. Mystogan helped Lucy up and the group heading out again, walking deeper into the heart of enemy territory. After some time they reached the room Eisenwald was in which was the boarding station. Facing the Fairy Tail wizards was a massive gang of men, all of them had cocky grins and were leering at the female mages. Among the group Natsu spotted Kageyama, who also recognised the pink haired boy and was scowling at him in distaste.

Above everyone else sat Erigor 'the reaper', who was resting on the train's roof. Like Kageyama, he hadn't changed any but Natsu didn't expect him to. He still had his white hair spiked up and had wrappings around his arms and tattered leggings, covered up by what looked like a skirt, at least to the dragon slayer anyway. There was silence for a moment, with the two guilds staring each other down, before the reaper began laughing.

"So it's true, some flies did come to pester us. I'm glad you all could come for the big show." He taunted his enemies and made Erza grit her teeth in outrage before stepping forward.

"What is your evil scheme?" She asked him and if possible, his smile got even wider.

"And why should I tell legal wizards anything? You, who fools who blindly follow the rules that the council sets to keep you all on a leash!" He shouted, glaring at the armored mage. Natsu blinked, surprised by what the white haired man was saying. He leaned over to Mystogan and began talking in his ear without the others noticing.

"Last time he immediately told us that he was going to play Lullaby here and kill everyone that heard it." He whispered to his friend who shot him an alarmed look.

"Don't worry, he's planning something else." The dragon slayer assured him. The masked mage nodded before focusing on the problem at hand. They thought for a few moments, while the others were arguing with Eisenwald with Erza demanding to know the plan and Lucy worrying about the size of the dark guild while Gray stripped and Happy nibbled on a fish.

"I believe it's part of the time ripples." Mystogan suggested and Natsu glanced at him in confusion.

"What are you talking about, what ripples?" He asked the S-class mage who sighed before explaining.

"Imagine throwing a stone into a lake. That will splash in throwing drops everywhere and sending out ripples. Now compare that to this timeline, with you being the stone and the rest changes that are made. The drops are changes you purposely make, like getting stronger, and create their own ripples. They join with the other ripples and create smaller changes. These make changes that you didn't see in the first time line, this being an example." He said and the dragon slayer nodded in understanding. They were both drawn out of their conversation by Erigor yelling at his men.

"Destroy those pesky flies while I use Lullaby to show these pathetic people the power of Eisenwald!" He declared before flying off to another area of the train station. The rest of Eisenwald cheered in agreement before running at the mages opposing them.

"Well looks like we missed the epic reveal." Natsu muttered to the masked man who nodded.

"Gray, Natsu you two go after him. We'll deal with these villains." Erza ordered the two boys who nodded and ran off where the reaper flew off to.

"We're not letting you two get away!" A man dressed as a pharaoh said before going off to follow the Fairy Tail mages, quickly followed by Kageyama.

"We should help them!" Lucy exclaimed but Mystogan shook his head.

"No, they can take care of themselves and besides we still have to take care of the rest of them." He argued, motioning to the dark mages who were still shouting at them. Together they faced them each starting to use their magic. Erza summoning a sword with her requip and clashed with the enemies who also had weapons. Mystogan pulling one of his many staffs out and reflected any magic that was directed at them. Lucy nervously pulled out her newest key while Happy flew next to her.

"Let's do this!" He cheered but the blond sweat dropped at his antics.

"I don't think you'll be doing much, you're just a flying cat." She stated and he pouted at her.

"Well what are you going to do, use your 'cuteness'." He argued and she scowled at him.

"Watch and learn you mangy furball." She said and stabbed her key into the air.

" **Gate of the Golden Bull: Taurus, I summon thee!** " She shouted, twisting the ax like key. A golden light enveloped the object, blinding everyone from seeing within. When it disappeared the key was gone replaced instead, by a massive humanoid bull that held an equally huge ax. It was an impressive sight to behold, that is until it turned to talk to the one who summoned him.

"You're as hot as ever miss Lucy. Can I have a big smoooooch?" He asked her and she sighed wearily.

"I keep forgetting how much of a pervert you are." She muttered to herself before focusing back on the battle at hand.

"Taurus, go wipe the floor with those losers!" She declared, pointing at the Eisenwald guild. The bull let out a bellow and charged into the fray. He quickly began sweeping his gigantic weapon back and forth, cutting his way through the crowd of dark wizards. Lucy followed behind, using her whip to smack the enemies away.

 **-Meanwhile-**

Natsu and Gray ran down the hall, trying to catch Erigor. After some time they came across an intersection, branching off in two directions. The two boys looked at the two paths before glancing at each other.

"Well time to split up." Natsu commented and Gray nodded in agreement. They both turned towards their separate halls and started to walk down them.

"Hey Natsu." The ice mage said, causing the other to pause and look back at him. When he had the dragon slayer's attention he gave him a small smile.

"If you find Erigor, give him hell for me." He asked and Natsu smiled in return. They turned back to their destinations but once again Gray said something, but mainly to himself.

"Don't get hurt Pinky." He said softly, almost to quiet to hear. To his surprise, the dragon slayer gave a chuckle.

"The same goes for you Popsicle, I don't want to see you getting injured." Natsu said before running off and leaving a surprised Gray behind him.

Natsu ran down the halls making several turns, trying to reach his goal. Behind him, Kageyama silently followed him by shifting into the shadows and traveling along them.

'This idiot doesn't even realize that I'm right behind him and now he's going to pay for making Erigor mad at me!' The dark wizard thought in his head, flinching at memory of his master's displeasure of learning that someone had seen Lullaby. His target suddenly rounded a corner and he increased his speed to catch up with him. He turned the corner but stopped when he didn't see anyone in front of him. Slowly, he rose out of the floor, looking around the room in confusion.

"Where the hell did he go?" Kageyama asked himself.

"Are you talking about me?" A voice asked him. Spinning, Kageyama turned to look up behind him but all he saw was a fist heading towards his face. Then he blacked out.

"Well that takes care of him." Natsu commented, looking down at the dark mages unconscious form. He grabbed Kageyama's body, lifting him onto his shoulders, and walking back the way they came from. He retraced his steps until he arrived back at the intersection. When he did, he set the other man's body down against the wall.

"Alright, let's hope that the others find him so they can take care of Erigor's spell." He muttered before glancing at a clock on the wall.

"Speaking of which, I should get going." He added and ran off.

 **-With Gray-**

The ice mage was walking around the building, looking for Erigor and Lullaby.

"Where would he even go to use the flute anyways?" He asked himself. He continued to search for a couple more minutes before he realized the answer.

"The radio room!" He exclaimed before running down the hall towards his target. After several seconds he finally reached his destination. Entering the room, he looked around at the different radios and microphones.

"Where's Erigor? He's supposed to be here." He muttered. Sensing someone behind him, Gray lunged forward. A second later several lengths of wrappings impaled the ground where he had been standing, actually managing to crack the concrete floor.

"Well, I thought that would get you." A man said jumping down from where he had been hanging from the roof. He was dressed as a pharaoh and Gray recognised him as the one who was shouting after he left.

"Where's your boss? He was supposed to be here." The black haired boy asked him.

"He has important business somewhere else." The man said, smirking at the Fairy Tail wizard. In response, Gray scowled at him and slammed his fist into his hand.

" **Ice Make: Lance!** " He shouted, unleashing several spears of ice that shot at his opponent. The dark wizard shot out more of the pieces of bandages but this time at the ceiling, lifting him up into the air and out of the way of the attack. Once the ice was passed him, he let go and dropped down onto the floor. Before he could however, Gray pushed his hands onto the floor.

" **Ice Make: Floor!** " He cried and a sheet of ice spread out from his palms, freezing the ground. When his foe landed on it he immediately began sipping and sliding across the room while the ice make mage stood there with no problem, smirking at the other's dilemma. This went on for several more seconds until Gray decided he had enough fun.

"Where did Erigor go?" He demanded the pharaoh like man. When he heard that, the dark wizard smirked at him, even though he was still sliding on the ice.

"He's going the only place this train station can reach, and where some very important people are." He hinted and the ice mage scowled at him in annoyance.

"I don't have time for your riddles!" He said. His frustration was just what the other needed as a distraction. He launched his wrappings at Gray and bound his arms to his side, keeping him from using his magic.

"If you're so desperate in knowing then I'll tell you. At the end of this track is the final destination, Clover, which can't be reached by anyway except train or flying. And at this moment every single guild master is meeting there and the gathering is perfect for master Erigor. He's going to use Lullaby and kill all of those old fools!" He ranted, cackling at the genius of the plan.

"We'll stop him before that happens!" Gray declared, struggling even harder to escape but he paused when his enemy's laughing became even louder.

"You don't have a chance to because you're all trapped here now!" The dark wizard shouted.

"That's impossible! Erza and the rest probably wiped the floor with all of your friends already!" The ice mage argued.

"Maybe but that's why Erigor set up a spell around the station called wind wall. Now no one can get out and your masters are finished! But of course, you won't be around long enough to see that." The pharaoh like man bragged, tightening his bandages, and constricting Gray even more. The Fairy Tail member had bowed his head when he heard how they were trapped but now he looked up at his foe, giving him a glare strong enough to kill. The man actually took a step back, shocked by the intensity of the gaze, before tightening the wrappings again.

"What are you going to do fly? Your stuck here with no way out!" He declared.

"Maybe, but there's always a way out. I'll start with finishing you off first." Gray decided, managing to grasp one of the bandages. As soon as he touched it, ice spread over it, slowly reaching for the dark wizard. He released his spell and jumped back.

"That's impossible!" He said, shocked by the ice make mage's power.

"I'll show you, there are guilds more frightening than a dark guild!" Gray shouted, grabbing the man's face. Several minutes later he walked out of the room, leaving a frozen member of Eisenwald behind him.

 **-Meanwhile-**

The rest of the dark guild were spread out throughout the main room of the train station. Erza, Mystogan, and Lucy were finishing with the last few members when the redhead saw one of the men sneak away from the battle.

"Lucy, go after that one!" She commanded the blond who looked at her in surprise.

"But wouldn't one of you be better, I mean you two are stronger and-" She began, trying to make up an excuse but a glare from the armored mage silenced her.

"Go." She ordered and Lucy squeaked out a yes and ran off after the Eisenwald member with Happy following behind her. After a couple more minutes of fighting only one more man was left facing off against the two S-class mages. He looked around at the his defeated comrades before glaring at Erza.

"You'll pay for that!" He cried, running forward with a fist full of magic. Without even glancing at him she used her heaven's wheel armor, slicing through him and defeating him.

"As impressive as your name Titania." Mystogan commented, looking around at the battle.

"You are also quite powerful." She replied, wiping her brow before stumbling slightly and falling. The masked man went to help her but she waved him off.

"I'm fine, I just need a minute." She assured him.

"No your not, the power you used on the magicmobile was too much. It's a good thing Natsu took over driving when he did." He said, shaking his head at her stubbornness.

"I said I'm fine." She growled at him but he simply shrugged, not afraid of her like others were.

"What should we do now?" Mystogan asked her. She stood up and began walking towards the entrance.

"We need to go warn the people about Erigor using Lullaby." She said. Mystogan was silent for a moment before deciding to speak.

"He's not going to use it on the crowd outside." He said, getting her to stop and look back at him.

"What do you mean?" Erza asked him.

"Erigor isn't going to broadcast Lullaby to the people in Oshibana." The masked man explained. She narrowed her eyes at him and marched closer to him.

"How do you know that?" She asked Mystogan who frowned at her tone. He could tell from her tone she was suspicious of what he was saying and really, who could blame her?

'I don't come to the guild often, and when I do, I put everybody to sleep so they don't see my face. For all she knows I could be a member of Eisenwald.' He thought. Even though he understood where she was coming from he was still frustrated that she would think something like that. He had been a member of Fairy Tail for several years already!

"The reason I know is because Natsu told me." He suddenly said, stepping forward to meet the other's stare. Erza blinked in surprise before increasing the intensity of her gaze.

"How would he know about what Erigor's planning?" She asked. He sighed tiredly before replying.

"While we were training he would sometimes go to places or guilds he wanted to know about. One of the guilds happened to be Eisenwald." He said. The redhead apparently didn't like that because she grabbed the front of his cloak.

"He would never join a dark guild!" She hissed at him. At that, Mystogan grabbed her wrists and twisted, throwing her to the floor. For the second time that day, Erza found herself on the ground with someone glaring down at her.

"You question too much for your own good. I have been with Fairy Tail for over five years and yet you are somehow suspicious of me. I agree with you when you say that Natsu when never join a dark guild but that doesn't mean he doesn't interact with them. He has contacts and spies everywhere, keeping an eye on people who want to harm Fairy Tail and people he considers family. I will do whatever it takes to help him, because he would do the same thing for me and he will. So next time you doubt either of us, remember, everything we do is for Fairy Tail." He said, pouring all of his frustration and fear into his speech. Anger at Natsu for going on his own, at Erza for getting suspicious of him, and fear, for what is happening back at his home.

"Hey guys!" Gray's sudden shouting, shook the masked man out of his thoughts. He looked up and saw the ice mage on the upper balcony, looking down at them in shock. Mystogan let the armored mage go before putting his full attention on the boy above him.

"Where's Natsu?" He asked, looking around for the dragon slayer but he couldn't locate him. Gray glanced down at Erza who had gotten up and was looking him directly in the eye. He visibly paled and started stuttering out an answer.

"I don't know! W-well we h-had to split up and-" He was cut off by the redhead who had returned to her usual self.

"I thought I told you two to go together." She began but before she could go on Mystogan raised his hand in front of her, getting not only her attention, but also getting her to stop her ranting. She turned to argue with him but a look kept her quiet.

"Is there anything else besides Natsu missing that you wanted to tell us?" He asked Gray who snapped back to being serious.

"Yeah, there's some sort of wind thing outside!" He said and pointed to one of the windows. The other two looked outside where they should have been able to see the town. Instead, all they saw was a white sheet. Confused the three mages ran out the door and stared at what they saw. Spinning all around them was a massive cone of wind that covered the entire building. Even though it was going at high speeds it barely made a sound with the only sign of movement being blades of wind sometimes poking out from the wall.

"What is that?" Erza asked, starting to walk towards it. Right before she could reach it, Mystogan grabbed her shoulder and jerked her backwards. Before she could start asking why he did that, he started answering.

"That spell is called wind wall and you can enter it but once you're inside, you are trapped here until the caster releases the spell." He explained to her.

"Can't you just negate the magic with one of your staffs or something?" Gray asked the masked mage but he shook his head.

"No, unfortunately that's Natsu's expertise." Mystogan said. They were all quiet for several minutes, trying to think of a way to escape. They were drawn from their musings by Lucy and Happy arriving. Happy was flying along next to the girl while he was carrying an unconscious man.

"Hey Lucy who's that?" The black haired boy asked her but she simply shrugged and gave Mystogan a piece of paper before turning to the others.

"I don't know, I was trying to find the guy Erza had me go catch. He got away though, so I was walking around the train station and I found that guy knocked out and set up next to a wall. He had a folded note stuck to his chest which said, 'To Mystogan, who is at the front of building. From Natsu.' and that's all." She said, explaining how what she had ended up with the man and the paper.

"This of course brings up the previous question of where Natsu is at." Erza stated, looking at the note that Mystogan was still reading. The others looked around trying to catch a sight of the dragon slayer but when they couldn't, they focused on the man on the floor. When Happy had put him down, he had laid him on his back, giving the Fairy Tail mages a full view of his face. He had squinted eyes and thin eyebrows. His ears were pierced and he had black hair, spiked like a pineapple.

"Anyone know who he is?" Gray asked but the others shook their heads.

"He looks familiar though I can't remember where from." Erza commented, scrutinising the unconscious man's appearance.

"Yeah I've seen him somewhere too." Lucy added, staring up at the massive wall of wind at a safe distance. The others had explained what is was for and she did not want to go anywhere near it.

"That's because you have. His name is Kageyama and he's a member of Eisenwald." Mystogan suddenly said, looking up from his reading.

"Why would Natsu have something to do with a guy like this?" Gray asked, giving the dark wizard another once over. Erza and Lucy also gazed at the unconscious man in confusion.

"That's because he can apparently lift the wind wall spell using his magic." The masked man explained while getting up and walking over to the sleeping man. Once he reached him, the S-class wizard kneeled down and began shaking the pineapple haired man. Kageyama slowly stirred, shaking his head a little before opening his eyes. He looked around groggily before focusing on the man next to him. When the Eisenwald member realized who was above him he jumped back and glared at the Fairy Tail wizards.

"What do you want?" He asked, shifting his gaze to each of the mages.

"We need your help with breaking this barrier." Mystogan explained, motioning to the wind wall behind him. The dark wizard looked at the spell and back at the masked man before bursting out in laughter.

"Why would I do something like that? You aren't going to stop Erigor's plan, no one is!" He chuckled. He stopped when Erza suddenly pushed him against a wall, pointing a sword at his throat.

"Release the spell now or else." She threatened. He hesitated for a second but that was a second too late. He suddenly gasped in and hunched over, revealing the man Lucy had been chasing behind him, half way through a wall with his magic. Everyone stared at him in surprise before realization dawned upon the older members of Fairy Tail and Kageyama.

"You bastard! How could you try and kill your own guild mate? You're supposed to be family!" Gray shouted charging towards the dark wizard in the wall. He slammed his hands together and swung them towards his enemy.

" **Ice Make: Hammer!** " He cried. A massive hammer formed in his hands and with his swing he collided with the man and the stone, smashing through it and sending the man flying. While he walked through the hole to continue to beat the Eisenwald member, Erza turned to the other black haired wizard.

"How bad is the injury?" She asked but at first he didn't respond, instead staring at where his 'friend' had been. When the armored women rested her glove on one of his shoulders, the other still being held by Mystogan, did he look at her.

"How grievous is your wound?" She repeated and finally he respond.

"I-It's not that bad." He stuttered out before staring at where the other Eisenwald member had been. He tried to stand up, but when he did, he coughed and collapsed back onto the ground. Mystogan immediately set him against the wall and pulled out a small container. He opened it and revealed a salve, which he applied to the injured man.

"I'm sorry to ask this of you after what just happened but could you please dismantle the wind wall?" The masked man asked him but he slowly shook his head.

"I-I can't betray my guild." He said. The S-class wizard looked like he was going to say something, but before he could Lucy stepped forward.

"They tried to hurt you and you still want to help them? That's stupid!" She exclaimed. The dark wizard stared at her for a moment before looking down.

"But-" He began, but a loud slap stopped him. Everyone gazed at Lucy after she slapped Kageyama.

"It doesn't matter what you're going to say, they almost killed you! Now you are going to undo the spell, come with us, and I don't care if you want to or not." She ordered.

"She's scary." Happy mumbled, staring at the blond in shock.

"W-why do you want to help me? I'm the enemy." The black haired man asked in shock. The one who answered wasn't Lucy, but Gray instead.

"Why wouldn't we, you don't seem like that bad a guy." He explained. Kageyama looked around at the Fairy Tail mages. He looked like he was going to respond but he started having a coughing fit. Before it was over he stood up and began stumbling to the wind wall.

"Are you going to assist us still?" Erza asked him. Kageyama glanced behind him and gave her a smirk.

"I'll help you just this once since I owe the guy with the mask. But after that, you're on your own." He explained before reaching out towards the wind wall. A magic seal appeared before him. It hovered in front of him for a moment before entering the other spell. It remained there for a moment before the wind swept it up in the twister.

"Was that supposed to do something?" Gray asked but a fist from the redhead silenced him.

"Give it a moment." The dark wizard said, focusing on the job in front of him. His face was creased in pain but he continued to work on the magic. They didn't see anything for a moment but slowly, the tornado started to slow down. Finally it came to a complete stop. Kageyama wiped his brow before turning to the wizards behind him.

"Alright, that should do it now-" Before he could continue his eyes rolled in the back of his head and he collapsed. He would have hit the floor but Mystogan caught him before he could. The masked wizard lifted the body over his shoulder and turned to the others.

"We need to go and catch up with Natsu." He said and they looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean, where is he?" Lucy asked. He was quiet for a moment before answering her question.

"He went on ahead to fight Erigor and keep him from using Lullaby." He explained and the others gasped.

"He's being foolish." Erza stated, gripping her hands into fists. To everyone's surprise, the other S-class wizard chuckled at her reaction.

"You still underestimate him Erza. He can take care of himself, so there's no reason to worry." He assured her. She was silent for a moment before walking past him and heading to the car.

"I just hope your right." She muttered.

 **-On the train track heading to Clover Town-**

"I've almost reached the town and my magic's nearly back to full power after casting wind wall." Erigor said to himself. He was currently flying over the train rails that led to the guild master's meeting. Suddenly he looked down and saw a massive fire heading straight for him. The reaper ducked under the blaze and landed on the tracks. When he saw who attacked him he glared at his opponent in anger and shock.

"Impossible, you should be stuck in my wind wall." He sneered but he simply received a chuckle in answer.

"What do you want?" Erigor asked, trying to get a response.

"Simple, I want you to pay for your sins. Erigor the Reaper." Natsu Dragneel said, smiling like the devil himself.

 **Snake: Hi and sorry for the late posting, I was at a place with no wifi. I may not post every week but every two weeks instead, we will see. R &R and I hope you enjoy!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

 **Snake: And I'm back people! Glad to see my new followers HAHAHA! By the way not insane at all. So enjoy and please review, I love suggestions for the future.**

 **Wacko12: I believe I mentioned it earlier but Natsu is not going to be END.**

 **Synergizer: Don't worry my friend, I will be working on this story for a long time and I do apologize with the two week postings**

 **I do have some bad news. If you haven't read my END fanfic then you don't know but from now I will be posting this story every two weeks instead of every week. I do apologize but I will make the chapters as awesome as the others!**

 **Sorry for being really confusing with my posts, hopefully I can get more organised.**

The bridge connecting Oshibana and Clover was a long, winding track that stretched over a massive canyon. It was covered by a thick fog that no one could see through. Many people actually believed that the canyon went on forever since no one had ever reached the bottom, alive that is.

On the bridge stood two wizards facing against each other. The first one was Erigor the reaper or, the Ace of Eisenwald. He was known for his specialty in assassination and the current wielder of the death flute, Lullaby.

The man facing him was Natsu Dragneel, the fire dragon slayer and apprentice to the S-class wizard Mystogan. Neither the dragon slayer nor the dark mage moved or made any noise, both sizing each other up. The only sound was the wind blowing past them and rocks tumbling down into the abyss below. Suddenly Natsu began laughing.

"What's so funny?" Erigor demanded, scowling. The pinkette ignored him and continued to chuckle in amusement.

"Get out of my way!" The dark mage shouted and swung his scythe at the dragon slayer's head. Natsu crouched down and the blade went sailing harmlessly over his head. He then lunged at the reaper.

" **Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!** " The attack impacted in his gut and sent him flying back while Natsu simply stood there with a smirk. When Erigor hit the ground he gasped in pain and he almost lost consciousness. When he got up to look at his injury, he was hit by a fresh bolt of pain and he couldn't see for several moments. When his vision finally cleared he gasped at what he saw. His stomach had been burnt to the point where his skin had been burnt black. He could even feel pain on his insides and he had trouble breathing because of it.

"You wanted to know why I was laughing earlier?" Natsu's voice rang out and the white haired man glared at him. The Fairy Tail wizard again ignored him and continued talking.

"I laughed because I realised how weak and pathetic you really are. How did someone like you even manage to become the master of Eisenwald?" He taunted. Erigor growler at him and, ignoring the pain, managed to stand up.

"You insignificant fly! How dare you question my power? I am the strongest member of my entire guild and I have never been defeated!" He ranted before making several hand signs.

" **Storm Bringer** " A massive blast of wind appeared and shot towards Natsu.

"There's a first time for everything." The dragon slayer smirked and, taking a deep breath, blew out a small stream of white hot fire that was similar to his roar. The flames flew under his wind and rose up towards Erigor. The reaper simply lifted himself higher into the air with his magic.

"What a pathetic attack, you couldn't even aim straight!" He sneered. The Fairy Tail mage ignored him and continued to blow fire.

"Now, feel what a real spell feels like!" The dark mage cried as his attack neared Natsu. But, instead of the giant explosion of wind he was expecting, the attack simply rose over the pinette's head, doing nothing but ruffling his hair.

"That's impossible, how could I miss?!" Erigor asked.

"It seems you're not only weak, but stupid too! My flames heated up your wind enough that it rose higher into the sky, like all warm air does." The dragon slayer explained with a laugh. The reaper stared at him in shock before he slowly began shaking in fury.

"Why do you refuse to budge? Everything I do, every attack I use, you just swat aside like it's nothing! You- you can't be human!" He screamed in rage. He swung his scythe in an arc around him three times before shouting the name of his spell.

" **Wind Mail!** " Slowly, the air wrapped around him and he soon had a twister circling around his body.

"Now feel the power of Eisenwald!" He hurled himself at Natsu and pulled his scythe back, as if to swing while the dragon slayer smirked in anticipation.

" **Reaper's Calling!** " The wind cloak began to grow and morph, like a skin getting ready to shed. Suddenly it doubled in size, then tripled. Soon the pinkette was facing a massive creature made out of air. It looked like a cloaked figure wielding a massive scythe. It had chains wrapped around it's chest with skulls tied to them. The hood covered most of the being's face except for an insane grin.

"This is my strongest attack!" Erigor shouted over the wind.

"So, we're going all out then?" Natsu asked, igniting his fists. Slowly, scales began decorating his face and his claws became longer. His fangs elongated and his pupils became slits.

"Feel the power of dragon force!" He yelled, taking a deep breath.

" **Fire Dragon's Roar!** " A massive torrent of flames unleashed from his mouth. Unlike his fire from earlier, it was filled with a rainbow of colors. There was a deep forest green mixing with a bright sunny yellow. A dark blood red was floating on top of an ocean blue while purple danced among them all. Overall, it was a dazzling display of beauty and power.

But of course, Erigor didn't notice any of it. All he saw in front of him was a huge fireball heading towards him and his wind construct. He grit his teeth and swung his scythe, his spell copying his movement. The air blade collided with the flames and, for a single instant, they fought each other.

But then the fire simply smashed through it and traveled straight through the wind reaper, punching a hole in it's chest and throwing Erigor out of his defense. The wind mage slammed into the ground and groaned in pain once, before lying still. Natsu walked over and squatted next to him.

"So much for the 'Ace of Eisenwald'." If the white haired man had looked bad before, he was a nightmare now. His clothes had miraculously managed to survive but that was about it. His hair had been burnt to the point that he was now bald. Severe burns covered his arms, chest, and face. The worst thing had to be his eyes. They were empty and vacant, not even focusing on the dragon slayer above him.

"I know you can hear me Erigor, even if it doesn't seem like it." He said, making himself more comfortable. He looked down and, noticing something, reached down and picked up Lullaby.

"Now then what shall we do with you?" The dragon slayer asked the reaper. As he thought he twirled the flute. Suddenly he stopped and slowly, a grin stretched across his face.

"I've got an idea, why don't we turn this into a trail?" He suggested. Erigor's eyes widened in shock and he tried to speak but he was unable to.

"Don't worry, I'll only be executioner. We can have… Lullaby be the judge. The jury can be all of the innocent souls you've taken." Natsu explained.

"Now you're probably wondering how we can talk to the dead, and honestly, we can't. But a gift on dragon slayers is their heightened senses and my nose can smell everything you've done, every murder you've committed." The reaper stared at him in horror. Surely this boy must be mad! The pinkette noticed the look and chuckled in amusement.

"Don't worry, I'm speaking the truth. I can smell every drop of blood you've spilt, every body you've carried. I can even smell the perfume of the women you killed last month and the sick satisfaction you get from each murder." Natsu snarled at him. He seemed close to beating Erigor within an inch of his life. At the last moment however, he calmed down.

"The jury says guilty. What does the judge say?" Slowly Lullaby's eyes flickered to life.

"Kill him." It said in a dark, monotone voice.

"The judge and the jury have spoken, that leaves only the executioner." The dragon slayer held the flute in both hands and lifted it to his lips. He paused for a moment and, making eye contact with Erigor, did something unexpected. He tightened his grip on Lullaby and lit it ablaze with a bright blue fire. The flames quickly engulfed the wood while the spirit screamed.

"No don't! I can help you! Please nooooo!" Soon the demon was nothing but ashes. The pinkette brushed his hands together and the dust blew away in the wind.

"As much as you stink, Lullaby smelled worse. The reek of death coming off of him was nauseating." Natsu said. He then grabbed Erigor by the throat and lifted him up into the air.

"Don't think you get to escape from your punishment just because Lullaby is gone. There's still plenty of ways to end your miserable existence." Suddenly he moved the dark wizard so he was dangling over the canyon. The reaper tried to say something but his voice still wouldn't work.

"Since you're a wind mage you can fly using your magic. But I wonder, can you still fly without your powers? Let's find out, shall we?" Natsu let go of Erigor and the white haired man plummeted into the canyon below. He was quickly swallowed up by the mist and as hard as the dragon slayer tried, he couldn't hear anything from the bit below him.

"Huh, it really must be bottomless." He said. Suddenly a noise reached his ears, but it wasn't coming from the canyon. He turned around and saw the magic mobile farther down the tracks. He stared at them for a moment then back down at the fog.

"Well, this is going to be a pain to explain."

The guild master's meeting in Clover had been going great but then Makarov had received some disturbing news. He kept replaying it over and over again in his mind hoping he had heard in wrong but he remembered every detail clearly.

"Hello master I hope everything is going well at your conference. I have some exciting news to tell you. Erza came back and she formed a team with not only Gray and Natsu, but also Mystogan! It has to be the strongest team ever! Oh, I hope they don't destroy to much. Oh well, have fun at the rest of your conference master's!" Just remembering the message had him shaking in fear.

'All of the money those brats will cost me! At least the meeting ends today and I can head back to the guild. I just hope they didn't get into any trouble.' He thought. How wrong he was.

 **-Meanwhile-**

Everyone had gotten out of the car and was standing on the bridge looking at Natsu. Erza was at the front of the group and of course, the most intrusive.

"Where is Erigor?" She demanded and the dragon slayer sighed in annoyance.

"Look I beat him, isn't that enough?" He asked. Mystogan then stepped forward and answered.

"No, it isn't. If you did beat him, then where is he?" He questioned. The pinkette glanced to the side for a moment before looking back at his mentor.

"Well you see, I was fighting him and I used this super strong move on him and I completely wiped the floor with him! It seriously hurt him and he lost control of his magic. The problem was that he was over the canyon when he fell." He explained. Lucy gasped at what he was saying while Gray stared in disbelief.

"And you didn't try to save him?" He asked, grabbing Natsu by his cloak.

"I did, but I couldn't reach him in time!" The dragon slayer assured him. The two had a staring contest for a moment until Erza butted in.

"That's enough Gray, I'm sure Natsu did everything he could do to save Erigor. What's important right now is what happened to Lullaby." The dragon slayer grinned at not only what she said, but also because of the topic being directed away from Erigor. His smile soon died when he saw Mystogan looking at him. The masked man wasn't quite glaring at him but Natsu got the message he was sending perfectly clear.

'We will have words later.' The pinkette nodded before focusing on Erza again.

"Did it go over the edge with the Eisenwald mage?" She asked but he shook his head and his famous grin popped up again.

"Nope, I totally destroyed it!" He said cheerfully. Now everyone was staring at him in shock. Everyone except Mystogan, that was.

"How could someone as weak as you destroy a death curse Pinky?" Gray asked and Natsu glared at him.

"Listen Freezer, just because you can't do something as awesome as that doesn't mean I can't!" He said. The ice mage head butted him and soon they were glaring at each other. Erza took a step to bash them both but remembered the last time she did that she ended up on the floor. Instead, she chose a less physical approach.

"Both of you cut it out now!" She shouted. Gray cowered under her glare while Natsu just smiled at her.

"Alright Erza." He said. Now everyone was staring at him in surprise, but before they could do anything he was talking again.

"Hey let's go to Clover Town and surprise Gramps that we're all a team now. But I bet Mira told him, darn! Oh well, let's go so we can fight Erza! I really want to beat you already!" He spoke rapid fire and most of the time the others only heard gibberish. What they could pick up was 'Erza' 'fight' and 'Clover Town'. The dragon slayer took a breath to say more but Mystogan stopped him.

"Calm down. Now you want to fight Erza in Clover Town, correct?" He asked and Natsu nodded very quickly.

"Yeah, so let's go!" He cheered, and before the others could blink he was suddenly in the driver's seat of the magic mobile. Everyone stared at him before glancing at each other.

"We have nothing else to do." Gray commented with a shrug.

"And I wanna see Natsu fight Erza!" Happy exclaimed.

"We might as well go see the master." Mystogan finally decided. The group clambered into the car next to a shocked Kageyama and the dragon slayer started driving.

"H-how could Erigor lose?" The shadow mage stammered. He was staring at the floor with his eyes wide. It was obvious that his leader's defeat was something he thought impossible. The others were silent for a moment before Mystogan spoke up.

"Once Erigor began fighting Natsu, it was over for the 'Ace of Eisenwald'. The reason for that is because Natsu is one of the strongest mages I know, maybe even stronger than me." He explained.

"Is he really that strong?" Lucy asked. Before the masked man could respond, Gray did instead.

"Come on, there's no way he can be better than you, he can't even beat Erza!" He scoffed but the redhead slammed a fist into his head, silencing him. Once he was quieted she turned back to the male S-class wizard.

"I understand that his trip with you might have made him stronger but I don't understand how he could have gotten even more powerful than you." She said. Instead of answering, Mystogan remained silent for several minutes. Finally, he spoke.

"You first need to understand the difference in our magic. His magic is all about his emotions and the more heightened they are the stronger his magic is. If one of you were to be hurt than he would... flip, and destroy who ever had hurt you with an almost unbelievable power. Even as strong as he is know, he can grow even more powerful. In comparison, mine is centered around my staffs and is as strong as it will get. I channel my power into them and that activates each of their desired effects. In fact, without them, I'm essentially powerless." The others gaped at him in shock. Even Kageyama looked surprised at the revelations.

"Why would you tell us something that important to you?" Lucy asked.

"I trust everyone here and besides, there's no reason that you would want my staffs."

"What about pineapple head?" Happy asked.

"Shut it cat, my name is Kageyama!" The Eisenwald member cursed, glaring at the cat.

"Ah, Lucy save me!" The exceed his behind the blonde, who sweat dropped.

"You did start it." She said.

"Happy was correct though, why would you say that in front of him?" Erza asked. She wasn't really worried that Kageyama would try anything. After all, Mystogan _was_ and S-class wizard. She simply didn't understand why he did it.

"What use would you have for the information?" He asked the shadow mage. The black haired man glanced at him in surprise before looking back down.

"I-I don't know. My guild's been beaten probably arrested, Erigor is dead. There's nothing left for me. No friends, no family, nothing to live for. I-"

"Hey." Gray's voice brought Kageyama out of his misery and he looked up at the ice wizard.

"You know what I think? I think that Erigor was an insane jerk, and in case you forgot, your 'friends' tried to kill you. So you're right when you say that you have nothing." The Fairy Tail mage said. With each word, the injured man's shoulders slumped lower and lower until finally, the last of his will seemed to leave him. Lucy shot her friend a glare. She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, he was talking again.

"You're wrong though when you said that you have nothing to live for." At that the shadow mage looked at him in confusion.

"But you just said I had nothing! What are you-" He tried to say but he was again cut off by Gray.

"As in nothing to hold you back now. The leader of this whole thing has been taken care of and everybody else has been arrested. All of that is in the past and now you have your whole future ahead of you." He said.

"B-but I'm going to be in prison for what I did!" Kageyama stammered. At this point, Erza joined in the conversation.

"Because of your assistance in helping us stop Erigor, the magic council will probably lessen your punishment." She said. Suddenly they all jumped as a voice started speaking to them.

"Normally they wouldn't, but I know enough people that I can probably get some strings pulled for you to help you out!" It shouted at them. All of them except Mystogan looked forward, where the voice was coming from.

"Natsu!" Lucy shrieked.

"Geez Luce, you don't have to shout." He complained.

"Natsu how much of our conversation did you hear?" Erza asked.

"From Kageyama asking about Erigor to right now." The dragon slayer said.

"But we weren't shouting, how could you have possibly heard us?" Gray wondered.

"You guys keep forgetting about my dragon slayer senses." Natsu said with a chuckle. While the others were thinking about that, Kageyama asked about something else.

"Why would you help me with the magic council?" He asked. He couldn't see it but the pinkette shrugged.

"There's no real reason not to and besides, you rotting in prison isn't going to change anything." The dark mage's eyes widened in surprise and began to water.

"Th-thank you, for everything." He said. Natsu froze, remembering someone else saying that exact thing. She had been crying that day, with tears streaming down her face while she coughed up blood.

'Thank you, for everything.' She said before the light had faded from her eyes.

"Yeah sure." He mumbled, so quiet that the others didn't hear him.

"Natsu?" Erza asked, concerned. She was so used to his yelling and boasting that his silence screamer at her that something was bothering the dragon slayer. Just by looking at the others, she could see that they too, thought something was wrong. Even Mystogan had a frown, although no one could see anything except the creases near his eyes.

"Natsu answer me!" Her voice gained an edge to it but still, he didn't reply. Finally she opened a window and looked out. In front of her, Natsu was staring off into the distance, keeping a slack grip on the controls while the car swerved dangerously over the bridge.

"Natsu!" She shouted and finally, she got a reaction. Slowly, he turned to look at her and they made eye contact. His eyes were unfocused but she could still read his emotions.

They say that the eyes are the window to the soul. Erza believed in the old saying, but she couldn't always see what it talked about. Once when she was younger, she had when she looked into _his_ eyes. She had seen the cruelty, the enjoyment from the suffering he caused, and worst of all, the lack of pity he had when he betrayed her. When he laughed in her face and tossed her aside like a broken tool. When he banished her from the island and threatened to kill her friends -their friends!- if she ever came back. Those eyes were seared into her memories. They haunted her nightmares and followed her wherever she went. And yet, here she was, searching another soul for it's secrets.

Natsu's eyes were a swirl of strange and confusing emotions. In the very front was pain, a sea of unending, torturous pain. It seemed to almost overwhelm the dragon slayer's being, but Erza noticed something else. It wasn't sadness, though it was there of course. Pain was always with sadness. No, what got her attention was the fire that burned in the background. It was a small flame but it burned with an intense, almost frenzied light. For a moment, it seemed to... see her. Recognise who she was and the fire began to glow brighter, with an even more frenzied burn. Suddenly, Mystogan's words seemed to echo in the back of her mind.

'His magic is all about his emotions. If one of you were to be hurt than he would... flip.' She then remembered what he said at the train station.

'Next time you doubt either of us, remember, everything we do is for Fairy Tail.' And know she knew what he meant. She had always known that Natsu cared about everyone in Fairy Tail. But seeing his strength now, the meaning of his promise to protect his friends and how much he truly cared about them took her breath away. And then reality crashed down.

"NATSU!" She screamed.(Which was not girly at all) The pinkette blinked several times in confusion before focusing on her.

"Erza, what..." He trailed off when he turned around. Quickly coming up in front of them was a sharp bend in the road while the car continued to swerve precariously on the tracks.

"Shit!" He cursed, jerking the control to the side. The magicmobile lurched and for several, dangerous seconds, drove on two wheels while the rest of it hung over the canyon. Finally, with a bump, all of the wheels touched down on the track and they were driving again. He glanced at Erza once more before focusing on the road.

"Sorry about that!" He called back. Seeing her work done, the armored mage turned to look at the others in the back.

Happy was happily munching on a fish... upside down. It didn't seem to bother him so she moved on the the next person. Mystogan and Gray looked untouched, although the latter had his shirt off and was pulling at his pants. Kageyama held his head in pain while Lucy was apologizing repeatedly. Her attention was then brought back to the masked mage.

"Are you alright?" He asked and she nodded.

"Yes, I am perfectly fine." She said. Now the others were also scrutinising her.

"Are you sure, Erza? You look kind of pale." Gray commented.

"Aye, like you've seen a ghost!" Happy said. Erza blinked in surprise before schooling her features.

"I said that I am fine. Now, what happened to Kageyama?" She asked. The shadow mage was the one to answer her question.

"Ms. Big Butt here slammed into me when the Salamander was doing his stunts earlier." He complained.

"Sexual harassment, Erza kill him!" Lucy shrieked. Kageyama began to argue with the blond over whose fault it was while Erza turned back to Mystogan.

"What did happen to Natsu up front?" He asked. She stiffened for a moment before relaxing.

"He was just distracted, that's all." She replied. He grunted in understanding but she couldn't tell whether it meant that he believe her or not. The two S-class wizards were silent while the rest got into a massive argument over fish, stripping, and pineapples. After some time the car began to slow down. Finally it came to a stop and they all heard Natsu's voice as he talked to someone.

"Hey Gramps, you wanna see Erza and I fight?"


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 13

 **Hello my readers I hope you enjoy this chapter. For my END story I have some bad news. I will stop writing it for the time being so I can focus on this story since people like this one more. I will still update this story every two weeks since school is starting up again and I don't want anyone to get upset since I don't post. With that being said, I hope you are understanding and don't worry I will probably work on i at a later date.**

In front of the guild master's building everyone from the masters of the different guilds to the Fairy Tail members were lined up to watch the epic smack down that was Erza versus Natsu.

"Place your bets, place your bets!" Makarov shouted. Behind him was a chalkboard with Erza and Natsu's names with several tallies underneath them. Happy looked at the board for a few minutes before handing the old man some money.

"Fifty jewels on Erza." He said and Natsu glared at him.

"Do you have no faith in me?" He asked.

"Aye!" The cat said and the dragon slayer face faulted.

"Thanks for nothing." He muttered as Mystogan stepped up to the betting table.

"A thousand on Natsu." He said in his monotone voice. Makarov stared at him in shock for a moment before bursting out laughing along with several other guild masters.

"H-him beat Titania Erza? That's impossible!" One of then shouted. The Fairy Tail master's continued to chuckle while he handed the masked man a slip of paper.

"If you want to throw away your money than be my guest." He said. Mystogan simply smirked while he took the betting paper.

"You're forgetting one thing." He started to walk away.

"Oh, and what would that be?" Master Bob of Blue Pegasus asked.

"That I was the one who has been training Natsu for the past two years." At his explanation, the guild masters grew silent and glanced at each other with wide eyes.

"Salamander couldn't actually beat her, could he?" Master Goldmine of Quatro Cerberus asked. Instead of answering, Makarov pulled his beard in thoughtfulness.

"We'll just have to see." Was all he would say so the others turned to look at the fighters who were staring at each other on the battle area.

"You're definitely going down Erza!" Natsu declared and she smiled at him.

"I can't wait to see how much stronger you've gotten since our last fight." She said. A second later a bright burst of light enveloped her body, making many of the men there whistle at the magic. When the light faded it revealed her in a red and black armor with wings. Her boots reached up to her knees and were clawed at the bottom. She had gauntlets that reached her elbows with a long sword that touched the ground.

"She's immediately went for her Flame Empress Armor." Gray commented and Lucy shot him a confused glance.

"What's that?" She asked.

"It's one of her requips that lets her half any fire attack that Natsu hits her with." Happy explained. The blonde stared at the S-class wizard in shock.

"So Natsu can't hurt her with any attacks?"

"No, she can still be hurt but it won't do as much damage." Mystogan suddenly said.

"Ahh, where did you come from?!" Lucy shrieked as his sudden appearance but he simply put his finger to his lips and pointed back to the fighters. She turned to see them tense and ready to battle. In between them was the master.

"Ready?" He asked and the two nodded. He raised his hand and glanced at the two again.

"Fight!" He dropped his hand and jumped back as Erza and Natsu charged each other. She slashed at his chest but he ducked under it and threw an uppercut that she stopped with her hand. She twisted his fist and threw him towards the spectators. He landed on his feet but continued to skid back until he was on the edge of the arena. He glanced behind him and spotted Mystogan.

"Hey Mysty, how can I go all out?" He asked the masked wizard. He twitched at the nickname before answering.

"Everything except the blue fire." He said. "By the way, look out." He added as an after thought. Natsu turned back just in time to see Erza's sword swinging down towards his head.

"Yikes!" He lunged to side and dodged the attack, although the mages behind him weren't so lucky. He immediately began throwing blazing punches that Erza avoided.

"You guys never did tell me what was so special about the blue flames." Lucy realised, turning to Mystogan.

"Yeah, how does he use it?" Gray asked.

"Are they the same color as my fur?" Happy wondered but the masked wizard ignored his question.

"The flames are stronger than his regular fire but they're not supposed to be used in a battle." He explained. They just looked at him in confusion and he sighed.

"It isn't used in fights because not only does it need to be focused and he just learned it, but also because it uses too much of his power."

"It sounds pretty useless to me." Gray grumbled, turning back to the fight.

"But what about what he did to the book and with Laxus?" Lucy asked.

"He burnt a book? Levy's going to be really mad." Happy said but before Mystogan could say anything Natsu shouted out.

" **Fire Dragon's Roar!** " They turned to see Erza being pushed back by a massive blaze of fire. When it vanished they could see several burns covering her body and she was panting lightly.

"That's impossible! There's no way his flames should have hurt her!" Gray exclaimed.

"You've gotten much more powerful over the two years we were apart." She praised Natsu who grinned.

"Thanks, now come on. I want to win!" He declared excitedly. She smiled and stood up straighter.

"You've grown but I haven't gone all out just yet." She said and she shifted into a black, revealing armor with a massive sword and two wings stretched outwards.

"That's her black wing armor and she uses it to fly." Gray explained before Lucy could ask. She nodded and turned back to Mystogan who was watching Natsu, who had a frown on his face.

"So what about the book?" She asked but the masked mage didn't respond. Confused, she grabbed his arm to get his attention.

"Mystogan are you alright?" She asked and he blinked several times before focusing on her.

"Did you say something?" He asked. She puffed out her cheeks at him.

"I've been trying to say something for the past minute." She complained. He glanced down before looking back up at her.

"And that's why you're holding onto me?" He asked and she realised that she still had her hand on his arm. Blushing, she pulled her hand away and glared at him.

"Well you wouldn't answer me so I had to do something to get your attention." She said and he nodded at her.

"My apologies. We were talking about Laxus and the enchanted book correct?" He asked and she said yes. Mystogan glanced at the other two to see if they were listening but they were focused on the fight.

"What his blue flames do is nullifies magic like the spell on the book and Laxus' power. However, to do that he has to be touching the target or have it in contact with something he can channel his magic through like his staff." He told her.

"Wow, that must have taken a lot of power to negate Laxus' magic since he's an S-class wizard." Lucy said.

"Yes and that's why I don't have him use it in a battle. As strong as he is, if he uses too much of his magic then he won't be able to fight as well as he usually does."

"But wouldn't that help him since he could still use some magic and his opponent couldn't?

"Not always because some people, like Erza, are trained to use blades and they could easily overpower Natsu. Another problem is that while he takes their magic, they don't feel any physical drain while he feels both the physical and magical drain." With her questions they turned their attention back to the fight.

Natsu had a slash across his shoulder but besides that he was relatively unharmed. Erza on the other hand, looked much worse. She had several more burns and a massive bruise forming on her cheek. One of the wings of her armor had been ripped off and was thrown across the clearing. Despite that, she kept her battle stance and pointed her sword at Natsu while he gave her a narrowed look.

"You're still holding back, why?" He asked with a quiet voice.

"Two years ago you couldn't even handle my flame empress armor, I'm simply checking your strength." Erza replied but he frowned.

"Like you said, that was two years ago. And if you really want to test me than bring out your purgatory armor." Her eyes widened at his statement.

"Anyone whose seen that armor hasn't been as strong as me." Natsu retorted. She hesitated for several minutes until he suddenly sighed.

"In the future, you'll face opponents that can beat you without even lifting a finger. They'll be stronger than you, smarter than you, and the worst part is that you'll know them." She took a sharp intake of breath but he continued, his voice growing harsher with each word. "If you don't go all out against people than you won't get stronger. If you don't gain more power you can't protect the ones you love. And when they're dead you'll only have one person to blame, yourself."

There was a silence as everyone stared at him. No one, not even the people that knew him, had ever heard him talk like that. Sure, they had heard him say how he would get stronger and beat Erza but they had never heard him talk about losing his family. The one who was the most shocked was Erza herself. Where was Natsu, the usually cheerful boy she remembered? This person was unknown to her, a complete stranger. He stared at her with a dull look that was similar to what she saw earlier. But now, despite that, she could see that he was aware of everything he was doing. He seemed to be analysing her, studying her, as if he was a predatory animal, stalking his prey. And what he said earlier…

'Does he know about, him, and the Tower of Heaven?' She wondered. 'No it's impossible, there is no way he could have found out about that. But he can't be talking about anything else. What if-' Her thoughts were interrupted by Natsu.

"What will it be Erza, will you show me your true strength or will you hide behind your armor like you've always done?" He asked. She stiffened slightly at his comment but beyond that, didn't make any other outward reaction. His bangs shadowed his eyes as he watched her. Finally he scowled in annoyance and behind him Mystogan cursed.

"She's being foolish." He said and the others glanced at him in surprise.

"I don't think you want her hearing that." Gray muttered.

"Aye, she's scary!" Happy exclaimed and Lucy nodded. Suddenly the master walked up.

"What do you mean Mystogan?" He asked, having heard the masked mage's comment. Mystogan glanced at him in what might have been surprise before focusing back on Natsu.

"She's underestimating him and because of that, he's about to show her why that was a mistake." He simply said and refused to make another comment. The others turned back to the fight and saw the dragon slayer moving.

"Fine then." As he talked, he began to pull his staff from his back. "If you won't go all out, then I will." He help it with both hands and, with a swift thrust, impaled it into the ground while dropping to a knee in the process.

" **Fire Dragon's Eruption!** " A massive explosion of fire leapt from the ground, throwing up rocks and dirt as it charged towards Erza, almost like a wave. Her eyes widened at the display of power and she tried to leap to the side but the spread of the attack was too large. She raised her sword and slashed at the flames but more appeared beneath her feet. She leaped back and prepared for another attempt. But before she could, the fire stopped and receded back into the ground, revealing Natsu still in the position he had been in earlier.

"What was that spell? I didn't recognise it." Erza asked while she morphed into her flight armor.

"It's a spell I developed with my staff, without it I can't use the attack." He explained, standing up.

"It's impressive but I won't get caught in it again!" She charged at him faster than the human eye could follow. She slashed with her sword, but too her shock, it was blocked by his staff.

"Who said that I needed to get you caught?" Natsu asked with a smirk. She leaped to the side and struck with several swift jabs which were all blocked. She jumped back and was surprised to find that the staff was able to go head to head with her sword without getting scratched.

"What is your weapon made of?" She asked and he tilted it to take a look at it.

"This is made of several rare, and I mean incredibly rare, metals that are found in only certain parts of the world. It took me a while to get them all but once I did I took them to a person I know and with his magic and my own, we forged this staff." He said.

"Now then, let's finish this!" He shouted, running at her. She slashed but he lifted his staff and knocked it to the side before jabbing it forward with the top of it aflame. He did several swift strikes that Erza was hard pressed to dodge. Even when she avoided it, the heat of the flames burned her several times. Suddenly, he twirled his staff and swept it under her feet. She jumped back and then ran to the side hoping to get through his defense. To the spectators, she was nothing but a blur, kicking up dust in her wake. She leaped into the air and followed up with a downward slash. He raised his weapon over his head and blocked the attack so they were face to face, struggling against each other.

"How can you follow my movements?" She asked and surprisingly, he grinned at her.

"I can hear you." He said, low enough that only she heard him. He then began taking a deep breath. Realising what he was about to do she leaped away and her magic flashed brightly. When it disappeared she was wearing a heavily armored white suit of armor with two massive half shields on her arms. She slammed them together and planted them in the dirt as he unleashed his attack.

" **Fire Dragon's Roar!** " He blasted a massive white flame at the defense which began glowing with a green aura. The blaze swept over the shield and enveloped it, hiding the battle from view. The two powers fought for several minutes, until everyone began to hear a cracking sound. Slowly, the attack began to die down and the spectators gasped at the destruction. All of the vegetation around Erza was burnt to a crisp and even the ground was burnt black but the most surprising thing was the shattered pieces of her armor thrown all across the field. Some remains of it were still attached to Erza's body and her arms, the shields having been blown to bits

"Impossible, no one has ever broken her adamantine armor!" Gray exclaimed as the redhead collapsed to her knees.

"What's so special about that one?" Lucy asked.

"It's known as an impenetrable barrier that nothing can pierce." Makarov said. "I would even say that it's powerful enough to almost stop a jupiter cannon." Mystogan raised an eyebrow at the answer.

"That's quite impressive."

"And Natsu blew it away with only one attack!" Happy cheered.

"That was quite a destructive attack your child used." Goldmine said, walking up to them with Bob.

"Yes, Erza might have been hurt Maky." Master Bob commented with a worried frown.

"That did seem a bit too powerful for just a friendly fight." The old man said.

"Do not worry Master's, she'll be fine." Mystogan said and the rest turned to look at him.

"Are you saying she could be in danger from Natsu?"

"If he wanted to harm her, yes, but he simply wants to help her become stronger so he won't hurt her."

"By beating her an inch of her life?" Lucy asked, worriedly but the masked mage shook his head.

"No, by making sure she doesn't underestimate him or anyone else from now on."

"It still doesn't make any sense. Last time they fought she wiped the floor with him so why should she thinks he's a challenge?" Gray asked, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

"Because that was two years ago and she has no idea how powerful he's become. He's already defeated three of her armors so she should know by now that he's not as weak as he used to be." Makarov answered, studying the fight.

"But he couldn't have gotten that strong, could he?" Lucy asked with wide eyes.

"Like I said before his magic is centered around his feelings. While I was training him, he developed a habit of challenging anyone he met to a fight. Most of them didn't prove to be a problem and he defeated them easily. When it was time to return to Fairy Tail he was excited about the prospect of fighting Erza. But instead of the fight he was hoping for, she continues to go easy on him. This is irritating him and he wants to show her the mistake she made. If she doesn't bring out her purgatory armor soon, she's going to be faced with a harsh defeat."

There was a moment of silence as everyone digested the information before Makarov turned towards the fight. He was just in time to see Erza get tossed across the clearing like a ragdoll. She stood up but Natsu was suddenly in her face, swinging his staff at her. She raised her arms to block it but she still went skidding back several feet.

"Erza!" She turned towards Makarov when she heard him shout at her. "Use your purgatory armor!"

"But Master-" She tried to object but he cut her off.

"If you want to stand a chance in this fight use it!" He commanded. She paused for a moment before she nodded. With a bright flash, she morphed into a pitch black armor with spikes. She had a massive, black, sword with more spikes and she had a necklace of teeth around her neck.

"Her purgatory armor." Gray breathed as she charged Natsu. He slammed his staff into the ground but she was already in the air by the time he called his attack.

" **Fire Dragon's Eruption!** " A wave of fire erupted from the ground but Erza avoided it and came down on top of him. He let go of his weapon and grabbed her sword with both hands, halting it's movement.

"Now this is a real fight!" He said with a smile but she frowned at him.

"I don't want you getting hurt from our battle." She said but he shook his head.

"You still don't get it, I'm not a little kid anymore! You've admitted that already but you still don't realise the full implications. I'm strong enough to fight you so stop holding back!" He yelled and as he said that he pulled his arms over his head, throwing Erza over him. She flipped and landed on her feet, facing him. Surprisingly, she smiled at him.

"Alright then, if you think that you can defeat me then I won't hold back. But you shouldn't hide your power either." She said and he chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

"So you saw that? Well I might as well show you what I used to defeat Erigor!" He said and lit himself ablaze. Nothing happened for a moment but then he let out a massive roar. The sound shook the ground and several of the guild masters fell over. Erza managed to remain standing but the noise shook her to the bone. A moment later she was hit by an overwhelming force.

'What is this power?' She wondered as she stared at him in amazement. It was a wild, untamed, power that seemed to threaten to crush her at any moment. For a second she thought she saw a massive dragon looming over her. Then it disappeared and she looked at Natsu again right as he began to change.

Slowly, scales began to grow under his eyes and on his arms. His canines grew longer and his fingers grew claws while his eyes dilated to slits. After a while he stopped changing and stood there, watching her. He was silent as he stared at her, not moving a single muscle. No one else said anything either, everyone waiting for him to make a move. Finally Erza broke the silence.

"Natsu?" She asked quietly. She wasn't afraid or anything, she was just being cautious. At first he didn't react, just stood there. Suddenly he vanished, leaving a trail of dust. She whirled around just in time to see him slashing at her with his claws. She raised her sword and blocked the attack. The claws scratched against it, causing a loud shrieking noise. Lucy and some of the others winced and covered their ears to block out the noise. Erza flinched at the sound and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened her eyes, the dragon slayer was no where in sight. She looked around but she still didn't see him.

"Above you!" Gray shouted and her head shot up to see Natsu falling from the sky.

" **Fire Dragon's Roar!** " She leaped to the side but was still burned by the flames. She backed up some more as he landed on the ground, his impact forming a small crater in the ground.

"Natsu. What it this magic?" She asked, warily. His head jerked to the side to watch her. Slowly, he stood up and cocked his head to the side, as if curious.

"It's called dragon force, the strongest form of dragon slayer magic ever to exist." His speech was thick and rough, as if he were more beast than man.

'Which it does look like he is.' She thought before shifting into her fighting stance.

"Then show me what it can do!" She called and he gave a grim smile.

"Show you what it does? I'll do more than that." Again he disappeared and she turned around, anticipating his movements but no one was there.

'He tricked me!' She realised with shock. She whirled around to stop him but before she could, she felt a hand on her right arm, stopping her from moving it. Another one wrapped around her neck, holding her still.

"It's over." She froze when she felt Natsu's breath on her throat. One of his fangs grazed her neck and she shivered at the touch.

"I can escape from this easily and I still have plenty of power left." She managed to say but he chuckled.

"Not after this." He said and before she could ask what, he threw her with all his strength. She went flying away from him and the other mages, slamming into the ground and forming another crater.

"The flames of my right hand…" Her eyes widened in shock and she struggled to get out of the pit.

"And the flames of my left hand…" She stood up and grabbed her sword. She looked up to see Natsu bringing his hands together.

"Bring them together and you get…" She charged at him but it was too late.

" **Fire Dragon's Magnificent Flame!** " The fire ball caught her full blast and it threw her back again. There was a massive explosion and everyone gaped in amazement. When the smoke cleared Erza was laying down on the ground, unconscious. Natsu walked over and picked her up bridal style. He turned to the others while his scales receded.

"Well that was fun!" He said cheerfully.

"Aye! It was amazing!" Happy exclaimed.

"Yeah but you went overboard!" Lucy shrieked and he blinked in surprise before turning around. Where the guild master's building used to be, there was now a massive hole. Natsu sweat dropped at the sight.

'We didn't fight Lullaby and it still got destroyed.' He thought.

"Hey we should probably get out of here." Gray said and they turned to see several of the guild masters.

"You destroyed our meeting hall!"

"You're going to pay for that!" Makarov seemed to wilt at the prospect of paying money for the destruction and his ghost flew out of his mouth.

"Hey something came out of him!" Happy exclaimed while Mystogan picked up the master's.

"Let's head back to the guild." he headed off and the others followed.

 **-A Couple of Days Later-**

Natsu was sitting in a corner of Fairy Tail, drinking some scotch. The group had returned to the guild the other day and had split off to do different things. Erza and Gramps had been set up in the infirmary. After an hour or so of checking on them, Mira said that they only needed some rest and they would be fine in a day or so. Lucy had said she was going to her apartment while Happy was sitting on the bar, munching on a fish. Gray was in Magnolia doing shopping for some more clothes since he lost most of his shirts on the trip. Suddenly he heard footsteps approaching him.

He looked up to see Mystogan walking towards him. He took a seat next to him and ordered a drink.

"Now that Eisenwald's arrested, what are you going to do?" He asked and Natsu shrugged.

"I don't know, last time Erza got arrested for blowing up the building." He said.

"Which you did again." The masked wizard said and the boy chuckled nervously.

"Now that she's injured and since we fought already I really don't have anything to do today." He said with a shrug. They sat there for a few minutes, nursing their drinks until he spoke up.

"What about your next job?" He asked but the dragon slayer shook his head.

"I can't do that until Erza goes on her mission so we can reach the island before she catches up with us."

"You do realise that since I'm an S-class wizard I can take you and the others with me when I do the mission." Natsu thought about that for a little bit before facepalming while Mystogan shook his head.

"No." The pinkette decided. "The others need to rest, especially Erza. I also need to wait so everything is timed exactly right and Deliora is released and die."

"Then what about training with the others?"

"It's the same thing there, I don't want them to be tired or weak when we do the job."

"The only other things that you could do is sit here and drink, go into the woods and train, or talk with the others." Natsu sat there for a couple of minutes before he nodded.

"I think talking with them would be the best option, at least then we have some information on-" His abrupt pause made his friend look up to see Mira approaching them.

"Don't stop talking on my account." She told them. She tried to act cheerful but they could see the flash of hurt that passed over her face.

"It's okay Mira, I had to head out anyways." Natsu said, standing up. He drained his scotch before heading towards the guild doors. Once he had left, Mira turned back to Mystogan.

"He just got back from a job, what did he have to leave for?" She asked.

"He has to talk to some old acquaintances because he needs to know where they are." He answered.

"Oh really, who are they?"

"Some acquaintances." He stated bluntly. She stared at him for a moment before walking away.

'That was weird.' She thought to herself. While she left Mystogan took a large gulp of his drink.

'This is exactly why I didn't come to the guild, I didn't want to answer these kind of questions.' He thought, sighing. 'And speaking of questions, what am I going to do when Natsu brings Wendy back? I can't ignore her and avoiding her would just make her sad if she ever found out. What am I to do?'

 **-Meanwhile-**

Natsu walked through the woods, a fair distance away from Magnolia. He continued to walk until he reached a clearing, where he stopped. He looked around before sniffing the air several times. When it seemed he was satisfied, he put his hand in his pocket and withdrew a strange object. Some would say it was maybe a lacrima but the shape was different from a usual lacrima. It was a black diamond that managed to stay upright on it's own. He held it in his hand for a moment before tossing it onto the ground. It continued to stay upright when it landed and slowly, it began to spin. It rotated faster and faster until it was a small blur. Suddenly, three black shapes shot out of it and landed on the ground. They slowly gained form until there were three shadowed figures standing in the clearing with Natsu.

The first one was about as tall as the dragon slayer and had spiky hair. He seemed to have something coiled around his body that went from his feet all the way up to his head. He was stroking the creature and had his head tilted as if he was bored with the idea of being there.

The second figure was a giant of a man with large muscles that could be seen even with the shadow hiding his identity. He stood tall and upright with a focused gaze, as if he was ready for anything that might happen. He was either bald or wearing something because the top of his head was too smooth for hair. His jaw also seemed unnatural, with straight, cornered edges at the ends.

The last person had to be the most surprising, since she was only a small child, whether a boy or a girl, no one could tell. They had a cloak wrapped around them that hid most of their features and what seemed to be wings on the side of their head. They had short hair and leggings that must have reached above their knees. They all briefly glanced at each other before focusing on Natsu.

"Been awhile since you called us Salamander." The first shadow said, his voice distorted as if he was talking through a haze of static.

"Is there something wrong Natsu-san?" The third figure asked, their voice also slightly off.

"No nothing is wrong, I just wanted to check on what was happening on your ends." He assured them.

"You made me make an excuse to get away from the others, find a secluded spot, dish the freaking device out of my pocket, and then activate it for this? For you wanting to have a nice friendly chat?" The spiked haired boy asked incredulously. He would have continued his rant but he was stopped.

"You know very well that he has a very good reason on why he calls these meetings." The giant said and the first shadow scoffed.

"Guys." Natsu said, getting their attention. "We need to focus. We won't have much time to talk and I want to know what everyone doing." The others nodded and the third person started talking.

"Our master is still trying to acquire all of the objects but he needs something that only the council can use." They said.

"What do they have that the old geezer doesn't?" The spiked haired figure asked.

"I don't know, he only told our leader and no one else." Natsu nodded and turned to the boy.

"We're searching libraries and old manuscripts for anything mentioning the weapon but so far except for a couple of references, we haven't found anything worthwhile." He said and the dragon slayer turned to the last person, his expression one of complete experience.

"What is happening at the island?" He asked.

"Construction is almost finished and we're going to start searching for a suitable match, although he has hinted that he has someone picked out. The others are still following him willingly." The giant said. Even though he couldn't be seen, the others knew that he was frowning. They turned to look at the dragon slayer who was busy thinking. This lasted for several minutes until he looked over to the third figure.

"I want you to keep your eyes open but don't go looking for information, I don't want you getting hurt." He told them and they nodded before slowly disappearing. He then turned to the spiked haired shadow.

"Don't worry, I won't check on you again. I do want you to tell me when they find it and how quickly he's planning on getting his hands on it." The figure nodded and started to vanish.

"Just remember, I'm not doing this out of the goodness of my heart Salamander." He said cheerfully before he was gone. Natsu rolled his eyes before turning to the only other person in the clearing.

"Let me know when he finds the person he's looking for and what his plans are. If he's planning on sending you and the others then that will work in our favor." He instructed and the giant nodded but he didn't disappear like the others. The dragon slayer glanced at him in confusion.

"What's wrong?" He asked and after a moment, the figure spoke up.

"We both know who he's going to try and capture." He said. Natsu siffened slightly before he nodded.

"Your worried that he may succeed." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"What if we fail and he manages to capture her? What if-"

"He won't." The pinkette snarled and the man went silent. "Even if it costs me my life, I will keep her safe. I promise you that." After he finished the shadow was quiet for another moment before he nodded.

"Thank you Natsu." He said before he vanished. Natsu stood there for a few moments with a scowl before he picked up the diamond. He put it in his pocket and started walking back to Magnolia. He headed through the forest and came out at the edge of the town. He looked up into the sky and noticed the sun was just over the horizon.

'That took longer than I thought.' He walked through town and headed towards the guild. When he reached the doors he paused, looking around in confusion.

'Something's wrong.' He opened them and walked into a silent guild. No one noticed he had even walked in, everyone focused on the woman standing at the bar, conversing with the master. At the sound of the doors opening, she turned and saw Natsu walk in. She watched him as he headed towards her and Makarov, not seeming to notice her. He stopped just short of them and turned to the old man.

"What's going on gramps?" He asked, completely ignoring her. If it bothered her, she didn't show it.

"Natsu I'd like you to meet a council member that came by to see us." The master said, motioning to the woman. Finally, the dragon slayer turned to her. She wore a loose kimono that covered most of her body but didn't hide most of her cleavage. She had long black hair that reached the small of her back and she had a smile that gleamed in the light. She slowly extended her hand with a smooth grace. He glanced at it before looking back up to meet her eyes, rejecting her outstretched hand. Several of the guild members gasped and Makarov's eyes narrowed but he ignored them and focused on the council member.

"My name is Natsu Dragneel, who are you?" He asked with a bland tone. If possible, her smile seemed to grow wider.

"I am councilwoman Ultear, and it is a pleasure to finally meet you in person Salamander."

 **And cut! Alright! I'm super excited that I managed to finish this in time to post it on saturday. Now for some important information.**

 **You are all either wondering or guessing who the three people are that Natsu talked to and I'm going to make things interesting. If you can correctly guess all three of the people send me a private message and ONLY A PRIVATE MESSAGE. Maybe I'm being a bit paranoid but it's way more fun that way. If you get all of them right then I will accept an idea for the story. What I'm most looking for is how to get Gajeel into the story. I'm planning on having him gaining his memories and having a fight with Natsu but I also don't want him attacking Levy because one; that would be cruel and two; Natsu would never allow that.**

 **So private message your answers and I'll tell you if your right or not. Enjoy!**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

 **Noooooooo I've failed you! I said I would post on Saturday but I didn't and for that I'm sorry a thousand times over! I will try to keep my updates on time and I'm so so so sorry that my posting has been so strange. That said I really hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **DraigTrueEmperor9: Thank you for the compliment and as to your guesses you are so close! The first two were right. I hope you continue to read and enjoy the story.**

 **: You're right! I was slightly worried that I made it too hard but you got it right immediately. If you have any ideas on Gajeel or anything else message me. I hope you enjoy the upcoming chapters!**

 **Hell Dragon Slayer: You're correct! You were the second person to get it right. Please send any suggestions you may have.**

 **immemorial: So close! The first one and the third one was right but the second one was off. Continue reading and I hope you like the next chapters.**

 **AmICrasy: The first one was right but the others are not. I don't have an idea for gajeel yet but I do have plans for him. Enjoy reading!**

 **Ruler of flames: The males were right but unfortunately the female was wrong. Don't worry about it, you'll find out eventually so keep reading and enjoy. Yes you're right. Nice correction so do you have any ideas?**

 **Guest: So the comment about Lucy, I really don't know what that word was.**

 **Guest: Thank you for your compliment and I hope you enjoy the rest of it!**

 **DraigTrueEmperor9: You're right Natsu was a bit harsh but he had to be to get through to Erza. Also Ultear is one of my favorite characters too and I wish that she had more time in the series.**

 **RmsThakoer: I just want to say wow. Your reasoning behind the girl was pretty amazing but I have some bad news, it wasn't the girl you suggested. Neither was the second boy you chose though it sort of makes sense. Honestly for the girl I have no idea what to do with her, though the real problem would be Mystogan interacting with her more than anything else. Nice guesses and keep reading!**

 **WatchingDUCK: You're right as well, so let me know if you have any ideas. Keep reading and enjoy.**

 **rrm232: you're right about the arc and I hope you enjoy the other chapters**

 **Pride: First of all, interesting name and yes you are right about the characters. If you have any ideas let me know.**

 **Frozem1: Thank you!**

 **Synergizer: I'm sorry about the two week posts but that's what will work with my school time.**

 **Velkin13: Correct! Let me know of your ideas and enjoy.**

 **True Red Dragon: You're close. The first one was spot on but the others are not correct.**

 **I'm sorry that took so long but now on with the show!**

Inside Fairy Tail everyone was watching Natsu and Ultear have a stare off. He had a blank expression while she gave him a sexy smirk. Finally the silence was broken by Makarov clearing his throat.

"So councilwoman, what brings you here?" He asked and she turned to him with a winning smile.

"Well I've heard so much about this guild that I just had to see it for myself."

"Is that your only reason?" She turned to look at the dragon slayer.

"Natsu..." The master said with a warning tone but she waved him off.

"It's alright, I actually do have another reason to come here." She admitted. "I need to talk to Natsu-kun here, may I borrow him for a while?" Makarov frowned at her response.

"What do you need him for?"

"I need to talk to him about the meeting hall he destroyed." She said with a light giggle. He, on the other hand, paled in horror as he remembered what Natsu had done the other day.

"S-sure, take him!" He stammered and she gave him a large smile.

"Why thank you." She said and started walking out of the guild. "Come along Natsu-kun, we have a lot to talk about." Several of the guild members watched her leave before turning to look at Natsu. He ignored most of them but he did notice Gray, Lucy, Mira, and Happy watching him with concern. However, instead of looking at them, he focused on Mystogan. Almost unnoticeable, he shook his head and the masked wizard nodded. He walked out of the guild and followed Ultear. She led him away from the guild and towards the woods again. At the edge of the forest she stopped and turned to face him.

"What did you want to talk about?" Natsu asked.

"You're a pretty straight forward person, I like that in a man." She walked up to him so they were closer but he didn't react.

"Either take care of your business or leave." He said and she pouted at him.

"You're no fun. I was telling the truth when I wanted to see Fairy Tail but I also wanted to ask you something. How did you destroy Lullaby?" She asked. For the first time since they meet, he actually grinned.

"I'm just that awesome." He bragged.

"Yes, but I mean what kind of magic did you use? Your usual magic doesn't seem to be strong enough to destroy a demon of Zeref. Another magic almost as powerful as his would have to be used to defeat it, maybe power just as despised-"

"I would never use magic like Zeref!" He hissed at her and she looked at him in curiosity.

"Why does the name bother you so much? It's not like he did anything to you, or did he?" She wondered, peering at him closely. He stiffened slightly but relaxed immediately, not soon enough though that Ultear didn't notice.

"I've heard enough about that bastard to know that he's pure evil, so why shouldn't I hate him?" He asked and she shrugged.

"I'm not one to decide for you."

"If that's everything then I'll be going now." He said, turning away. He took five steps before her voice stopped him.

"There's just one more thing I was wondering." He turned to look at her. "When you were fighting Erza you mentioned that she would meet someone she knew. Who is that?" She asked and he was silent for a moment before he replied.

"We're done talking." He began to walk away again.

"We're not finished here Natsu." Ultear said. No longer did she have her flirtatious tone. Now it had a dangerous edge to it. Natsu once more stopped and glanced at her before speaking.

"I said this conversation is over Ultear Milkovich." He said and her eyes widened.

"How do you know that name?" She snarled but he just shrugged.

"It doesn't matter, and besides, why does the name bother you so much?" He asked and finally her mask slipped. Her lips curled into a sneer and her eyes gained a harsh glint.

"You know nothing about what it means to me! It is the only thing I have to my past and it's what reminds me of-" She stopped and gathered herself before speaking again.

"And what about you Natsu, you're last name is dragneel, is it not? What does sort of meaning does it hold for you? Perhaps a hidden past, or maybe something you'd rather forget? Maybe you hurt someone or someone hurt you, took everything you cared about from you?" Her next words died in her throat as she saw his eyes. It had a bright light, that burned with a blazing rage. They were wide and focused solely on her, like a cat watching a mouse. She blinked and suddenly, he was right in front of her, glaring at her with a look of pure fury.

"Never say that again." He hissed. She stared at him for a couple seconds before she smirked.

"Oh and what will you do if I don't?" She wondered, putting her finger to her chin. Slowly, he leaned forward and whispered into her ear.

"I'll show you what true misery looks like by taking everything from you. First, I'll take your dream from you, ruin what you've worked so hard for. Then I'll wipe out your guild by burning it to the ground, along with the girl you care about. Finally, when you're all alone and everything you care about is burning in flames, I'll take the only thing you have left, your life." He took a step back and looked at her.

She was staring at him in anger and a hint of fear. Her entire body was shaking and her fists were clenched tight enough that blood was leaking from her palm. Natsu watched for several seconds as she tried to reign in her emotions. Finally she forced out a bitter smile.

"Well Natsu-kun this meeting is over. I hope for your sake that we don't meet any time soon." She said, straightening her dress and walking out of sight. He stood there for a moment, watching where she had gone before spinning around and slamming his fist through a thick tree trunk. His entire hand went through it and it slowly toppled over with a crash. He growled and ripped his hand out of the wood. He turned around and saw Erza standing behind him, staring at him in shock. They stood there and watched each other several seconds until he spoke.

"You should be resting." He said while walking towards her.

"I'm fine, all I needed was some rest." She said, shaking her head.

"That's what you always say, even if you are hurt."

"What about you? You're injured as well." She accused and for the first time, he noticed the dozens of splinters that ran down his arm. They all varied in size and length but most of them were impaled in his skin and small trickles of blood ran down his arm.

"I didn't notice." He said, shrugging before starting to pull out the pieces of wood.

"Just like you didn't notice your broken nose. Why is it that you don't notice when you're hurt?" Erza asked, walking closer to him.

"It's like Mystogan told you, I'm ruled by my emotions." He said and she froze, staring at him with wide eyes.

"You heard us talking?" She whispered and he nodded.

"I did mention that I heard you talking with Kageyama, you simply didn't connect the two together." He explained as he pulled out more of the splinters in whole clumps, ignoring the pain he must be feeling.

"So you heard Mystogan talking about…" She trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Yeah I heard him telling you guys about what happened," He paused for moment. "earlier in my life."

"Why didn't you tell us?" He surprised her by chuckling in amusement.

"And why would I do that?" He asked and she clenched her fists in frustration.

"Because we're family!" She exclaimed.

"Really, then why haven't you said anything about your past before Fairy Tail?" He asked but she didn't answer, choosing to look down instead. He continued speaking, as if he didn't expect a response. "And what about Gray? He never says anything about how he learned his magic, or who told him about Fairy Tail. Even Lucy, although new, she never says her last name and never talks about her family. Everyone in our guild cares about each other like family but they keep their pasts to themselves. I was really the only one to talk about what it was like before I found you guys, not even Mira has ever talked about what happened when she was younger."

"We-we wanted to keep the past where it belonged, in the past." Erza said.

"Then I'm sure you understand why I didn't say anything." He said but she shook her head.

"You don't want to talk about it but you don't mind that Mystogan told us?" She wondered.

"He told you already so it doesn't matter. And besides, all he told you was the basics, not the details, and that's what is important." He said and she looked at him in confusion.

"Why is that so important?" Her eyes widened in realization. "Do we know some of your friends that were killed?" Natsu blinked in surprise before he turned away from her.

"It doesn't matter, it's already happened and you can't fix the past, only the future." He said quietly before walking off. She stood there, watching him disappear. She wanted to go after him but with what he did last time, she wasn't sure it was the best thing to do. So slowly, she walked back to the guild, lost in her thoughts. Before she knew it she was walking through the doors and was taking a seat at the bar.

"Hello Erza, it's good to see you up and about so soon." Mira commented cheerfully as she got a slice of cake ready for the redhead.

"Right." Erza muttered, her gaze slightly unfocused.

"You hurried out of here so quickly when you went chasing after Natsu that I didn't get a chance to check on you." The barmaid continued as she turned around. She placed the piece in front of the armored mage but she didn't start eating it, instead she continued to stare at nothing. The white haired girl frowned at her behavior.

"Erza?" She asked but she didn't receive a response.

"Erza?" Mira shook her shoulder and Erza looked at her.

"I'm sorry Mira, did you say something?" She asked.

"I've been talking to you for the past couple minutes."

"Oh." The redhead glanced down and noticed the cake. She picked it up and slowly began eating while the other girl watched her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Mira asked. Erza looked at her with a narrowed look.

"Talk about what?" She asked and the barmaid sighed in exasperation.

"Whatever's obviously bothering you?" The armored mage was quiet for a moment, continuing to slowly eat her cake, before she spoke.

"Natsu's been acting… strange recently."

"In what way?"

"When we were fighting Eisenwald, he ran off without us."

"That doesn't seem strange."

"I thought so at first but then he left a note saying how to get out of the wind wall we were stuck in, after he had already left!" She exclaimed and Mira looked at her in shock.

"How is that possible?" She asked but Erza just shook her head.

"I don't know." She suddenly gasped. "Before that, we accidently left him on the train. I thought it was because of his motion sickness that he let us know but that doesn't make sense because he told us himself that he doesn't get sick anymore!"

"But why would he do something like that?"

"When we caught up to him he was fighting a member of Eisenwald over Lullaby."

"What happened?" Mira asked and Erza blushed slightly in embarrassment.

"He jumped off the train and I got upset that Natsu didn't stop him, so I decided to punish him. He got upset and… stopped me." She glanced away to avoid the barmaid's shocked expression.

"Wow." She knew the redhead wouldn't like to continue the current topic of conversation so she decided to change the subject. "It seems that Natsu knew about both when the Eisenwald member would be on the train, and what Erigor was planning. How could he possibly know that?"

"I'm not sure, Mystogan said something about him having contacts in some of the dark guilds." Erza said and Mira gasped.

"Why would he consort with people like them?" She asked.

"I don't know. I just don't know damnit!" Erza said, slamming her fist on the counter top. Some of the other guild members gave her looks but a fierce glare made then look away.

"Did Mystogan say anything else?" Mira asked. The redhead scowled at her question.

"I tried asking him but he isn't going to say anything else." She said but the white haired girl winked at her.

"He can't resist my charms." She said before walking off towards the masked wizard. When she reached him, she started to refill his drink.

"So, I heard Natsu was able to defeat Erigor, that must have taken some serious power." She commented and he shrugged.

"He was already quite powerful on his own." He said in a monotone voice while writing in a journal.

"But you must have helped him with getting stronger." She said. She finished pouring out his drink but she didn't leave the table.

"I helped him reach some places he couldn't reach on his own but besides that he got stronger on his own."

"What kind of places did you take him?" She asked and he made a vague motion with his hand.

"Just different places in the Fiore." He said, taking a sip of his drink.

"Like a dark guild?" She asked and he glanced up at her.

"No." He said bluntly before turning back to his writing. She stood there for a moment, watching him, before she spoke up.

"Are you sure? I remember Erza mentioning…" She stopped as Mystogan let out a sigh.

"I'm glad you're concerned for Natsu but he can take care of himself. Now if that' everything, excuse me." He rose from his seat and, finishing his drink in one shot, walked out the guild. Mira walked back to the bar and rested her head on her hand.

"Well that didn't work." She said with a pout.

"What now?" Erza asked.

"We could try and ask Natsu." The barmaid suggested but the other woman shook her head.

"He's not going to say anything either, I tried already. And besides, where are we going to find him?" She asked.

"Then what are you going to do?

"I'm going to ask the others if they've noticed anything." She said, getting up and walking over to the rest of Team Natsu. When she reached them she took a seat next to Gray.

"Hello Erza." He said calmly.

"Hi!" Happy exclaimed, munching on a fish.

"Do you need something?" Lucy asked and the redhead nodded.

"Have any of you noticed Nats acting strange lately?" She asked. The others thought about it for a couple minutes until Happy raised his paw.

"Well he did manage to beat you, that was surprising." He said.

"Besides that." She ground out but Gray decided to speak up.

"He has a point though, I fully expected for you to win. I mean, the last time you fought him you beat him into unconsciousness." He added.

"And you're an S-class wizard while he's not, isn't that right?" Lucy threw in. Suddenly, they all felt a wave of killing intent, making them all start sweating. They all looked at Erza to see her frowning at them.

"Besides that." She repeated and the other frantically nodded.

"U-um there was the time when he decided to give us gifts when you showed up." Gray stammered and Erza thought about it.

"Is that unusual?" The blonde asked and Happy nodded.

"When Gray and Natsu were younger they were always fighting." He explained.

"And while we were doing that he would usually call me stripper." The ice mage added with a small smirk, not noticing he was missing his shirt.

"Maybe he got you the pants because he was tired of seeing you in your underwear." Lucy suggested, remembering how he was missing his clothes the first time she walked into the guild.

"I don't think so. He seemed happy when he gave us our gifts, as if he took actual joy in us giving something we would like." Erza argued.

"Maybe he just missed you guys." Mira said, walking over to their table and serving them drinks.

"Maybe. I don't know, it just doesn't sound like him." Gray said, sighing.

"It's like that trip he went on with Mystogan changed him into someone different." Happy said sadly.

"What was he like before then?" Lucy asked, not knowing any Natsu besides the one that had helped her reach her dream. Mira gave a small smile and put her finger on her chin.

"Let's see, he was sort of like he is now, energetic and cheerful when he's surrounded by his family." She said.

"He was always loud and obnoxious, wanting to fight every chance he got." Gray snorted in amusement.

"But now, he's so… serious." Erza said, frowning slightly.

"It sounds kind of like you." Mira said gently but it seemed to make the redhead frown even more.

"Maybe but I didn't change until-" She abruptly stopped and looked away from the others.

"Until what Erza?" Lucy asked and the armored mage clenched her fists.

"I-I lost someone important to me." She said quickly before looking down, avoiding their gaze. There was silence for a moment before Mira spoke up.

"So does that mean he lost someone important?" She asked and Happy nodded.

"Mystogan said that he lost people he thought as family." He said.

"I think that would change someone." Lucy said but Gray frowned.

"But Mystogan said that was before Fairy Tail and his trip was only two years ago." He argued.

"Maybe he met the person that hurt him." Mira suggested but Erza looked around at them solemnly.

"If Natsu met them, then why didn't they kill him?" The others were silent as they thought about that.

"What should we do?" Lucy asked, breaking the silence.

"We should ask Natsu of course." Gray said but Mira shook her head.

"Erza already tried that and he didn't say anything." She said sadly.

"But we're family!" Happy exclaimed, turning to Erza. She was quiet for a moment before she answered

"I told him that but he just asked why we never said anything about our past." Gray opened his mouth to say something but stopped and glanced away with his arms crossed.

"We have our reasons." He grumbled.

"And so does he." He started to talk again but she glared at him and he was quiet. "He understands that we don't want to talk about our past and he wants to keep his to himself but we are so used to him telling us about Ignell that we assumed that he would just tell us what happened."

"So we shouldn't ask him?" Lucy asked and Erza nodded.

"The best thing we can do is help him if he wants us to. One thing that we should do is keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't run off like he did when we were after Eisenwald, I don't want him on his own" She decided.

"And let's try and see if we can figure out what's wrong with Flamethrower." Gray added and the others nodded in agreement.

 **-Meanwhile-**

Mystogan's trek took him out of Magnolia and towards the road. He continued walking for another mile until he came upon a clearing a little off to the side of the path. It had several scorch marks around it and some deep scratches. In the center of the clearing was Natsu who had his hands on his knees and was panting slightly. The masked wizard watched him for a moment before speaking up.

"I see you're doing well." He commented, walking towards the other man. As he walked closer, the dragon slayer straightened and turned around to face him. He had a fierce glint in his eyes but it disappeared when he recognised Mystogan.

"I thought you were relaxing at the guild, what are you doing here?" He asked.

"After you left Erza woke up and asked where you were. The master told her and she ran off to find you. She obviously did because she walked back in as if she was in a daze. What was it you said to her?" The S-class wizard asked and Natsu scowled.

"She was asking about what happened with Zeref and I told her to mind her own business." He said shortly and Mystogan frowned.

"She was making sure you were okay not blaming you."

"Yeah but she just expected me to tell her, as if I need to tell her every little thing that happens even though she hasn't said one word about her past."

"That's why Fairy Tail is so special, people can gather and find new family without worrying about what they did before that."

"And what about during?" Natsu asked quietly and the masked man's frown deepened.

"You're talking about Erigor." He stated and the dragon slayer shot him a surprised look.

"How-"

"Don't be so surprise. Someone of Erigor's skill wouldn't have just fallen into the canyon, he would have tried to save himself. And with your power you could have saved him easily, but you didn't." Mystogan said as he walked towards his friend.

"I was hoping that you had forgotten about that." The pinkette said, chuckling but he stopped when he was grabbed by the front of his shirt.

"I'm just going to say this once so listen well. I don't care why you did it but never do it again." The S-class wizard said. Natsu stared at him in surprise before he frowned.

"I do it to protect this guild, you don't want me to do that?" He asked.

"We had this discussion before a year ago. Do you remember?" Mystogan asked and slowly, he nodded. It was hard to forget that day, after he saw the true monsters humans could be.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

 **Hey so the reason I was late last week… I was writing it and I had gotten to fourteen pages and I realised that what I was writing could be use for this chapter so I decided to cut part of it off. Enjoy and please review!**

 **Velkin13: You idea is pretty good on what I should do with Gajeel and I might use it, I'm not sure yet.**

 **frozem1: Thanks!**

 **Meazm: Thank you and I hope you enjoy it.**

 **True Red Dragon: You are so close! The first and the last guess were right but the second one wasn't, sorry. I hope you enjoy the rest of the chapters!**

 **abhishekbssn: I understand your concern and I have some good news. It will not be a harem, only Natsu and Erza though there might be some girls who try to get Natsu's attention. Continue to read and I hope you enjoy.**

 **DraigTrueEmperor9: Thank you for the idea, it's awesome! I might actually end up using it too. As to Natsu treating Ultear that way please remember that she thinks of him as an enemy so he has to give her a reason to mind her own business.**

 **Wacko12: I'm not sure yet, I'm still deciding that part but Natsu will get shocked by something in the future, I'm just not sure what.**

 **rrm232: I understand that I left it on a cliffhanger and I didn't mean too. I had the flashback set up but then I reached my due date so I decided to post it. In this chapter you will find out about something that happened on the trip so I hope you enjoy it.**

 **Guest: Thanks! Natsu has spent a lot of time with Mystogan so he's gotten sharper and he knows how to make people drop the subject and he needed to get Ultear off his back. I hope you enjoy the future chapters!**

 **Synergizer: Thank you and I hope you continue to enjoy the story!**

 **Mr. Mrs. MDF: First of all, I thank with all my heart. You could have flamed me but instead you explained everything to me and helped me make this a better story. With Natsu being caught up with Zeref it is understandable since everyone around him was slaughtered. As for the genre, I honestly have no idea what to make it since it seems to have so many parts to it. He thinks of Erza in that way because even though he cares about her she can't help him and right now, she's just getting in his way to change things. I plan on making the other characters more prominent and doing their own devices. Again thank you so much for your review and I hope you continue to read.**

 **Astroman1000: Thanks and can you please tell me what the story is, it sounds interesting and I like long fanfictions. I hope you keep enjoying it!**

 **mmaallek: Thank you for your compliments and I am trying to figure out a way to keep Mystogan but I'm not sure how to. As to Ultear, I might have made a mistake earlier so sorry.**

Mystogan and Natsu were walking through a forest on the way to Crocus. It had been about a year since they had begun traveling together and Natsu had already gotten even stronger than he had the previous time line. His flames were a bright blood red with several streaks of white in it. He didn't have a staff or his cloak but instead wore the outfit he had during the grand magic games.

"Hey Mystogan why are we headed to Crocus anyway?" He asked his partner and he sighed.

"I told you already, we have a job to take out a dark guild and it's located near the capitol. It's called Burning Thunder and it's been attacking caravans that travel along this road. It's been told that it has close to fifty members, making it a sizably large guild, for a dark one that is." Mystogan explained before speeding up his pace and forcing the boy to do the same.

"Ok but do we have to pick a job every time we stop in one of the towns with job boards? They don't even have that good of missions, I mean come on, you could take this job on in your sleep! This time would be used better in training." The dragon slayer complained but stopped when his partner turned to him with a quick glare.

"It's true that training is important but you also need to use what you've learned in real fights and this is a perfect opportunity to see exactly how much stronger you have gotten. And has to the towns never having any good jobs they are helpful because even if they might be below your skill level they are still helping people, which is your job in case you've forgotten." He said and Natsu looked away in slight shame. The masked man watched him for a moment before sighing.

"Another reason I want you to do this is to not only teach you some patience but help you understand what the world is sometimes like. What happens at it's darkest corners, where the vermin and the garbage hid from the light and the people who try to seek them out." He explained and the pink haired boy shot him a dark glare.

"You of all people should know that I understand perfectly well what that part of the world is like." He ground out but his friend shook his head.

"You know some of it, I'll admit that. But you only know the darkest depths of it, not what the edges of the shadows hold. Dealing with the big problem is effective but taking care of the minor threats will help in the future as well." He argued and Natsu sighed.

"Alright let's get this over with. How close are we to it anyways?" He asked. Before Mystogan could reply several men leapt out of the bushes. They had bulging muscles and permanent sneers on their faces. Several of them had some sort of weapon like an axe or a club but some of them just cracked their fists menacingly. The two mages just looked at the thugs without any interest. One of the group stepped out and addressed the others.

"Alright now this seems like a nice catch of the day, eh fellows? Now you two have a couple of choices here. You can either give us all your money and all your valuables and keep walking or we can kill you and take all of your possessions. What will it be?" The man asked, swinging a mace back and forth a couple times before resting it on his shoulder. Ignoring him Natsu turned to the other wizard.

"They don't seem like a dark guild to me, just regular idiot thugs." He said with a yawn.

"No but there were some reports that Burning Thunder hired some mercenaries for protection when they found out we were after them." Mystogan replied.

"Sounds pretty pathetic to me." The dragon slayer commented. While they were talking the leader of the gang was slowly losing his patience.

"Hey are you listening to me or not?!" He demanded and the two turned to look at him.

"Yeah we hear you, we just don't care." The pinkette said.

"I'll show you!" The man charged at him but suddenly ground to a halt as his face made contact with Natsu's foot. The thug stood there for a moment before he was sent flying into a tree, knocked unconscious.

"You'll pay for that!" One of them shouted and they all charged at the mages. Mystogan stood still while his partner took a deep breath.

" **Fire Dragon's Roar!** " His blast of fire blew back the thugs and torched some of the trees behind them.

"Don't you think that was a bit overboard? You forgot to leave one of them so we can find the guild." The masked man said.

"I left the first guy didn't I?" Natsu asked, pointing to the first man who was still knocked out. They walked over to him, stepping over the debri and unconscious thugs. When they reached the leader Mystogan grabbed him by his shirt and roughly pushed him against a tree. He shook him a couple of times until the man woke up.

"Ugh, what happened?" He asked allowed and froze when he saw Mystogan.

"Where's the dark guild located?" He asked the thug but he simply spat.

"And why would I tell you anything?" He sneered.

"Because if you don't then we are going to leave you out here tied to this tree. Hopefully the authorities will find you before the bears and the wolves do. If the animals do manage to get to you first they would probably start to take small bites at first, to see how you would taste. Then they start chewing your arms and legs off in a very painful manner. After they are done with that they'll probably open up your gut and devour you from the inside out, quite a painful way to go." The masked man said calmly and the man paled.

"Wait, wait! I'll tell you! T-there a mile that way!" He stuttered, pointing towards the forest. The S-class wizard nodded and pulled out a piece of rope before binding the man to the tree.

"Wait, you can't leave me here!" He begged. Natsu scoffed at his foolishness.

"Seriously, the animals wouldn't want to eat you, you smell too bad." He said and the two walked away with the thug cursing them even when they were well out of sight.

"Did anyone ever mention you can be scary at time?" The dragon slayer asked and his friend grinned slightly.

"No they haven't, maybe I should do that more often." He suggested and Natsu shuddered.

"No thank you." For another hour they continued to walk in the direction that the man pointed out. After a while they reached a big building with a massive crack running down the middle. It was a dark looking building with several broken windows and fragments of the roof missing.

"What a dump." Natsu said while walking up to the door.

"Careful, they are a dark guild, no matter how bad their building looks." Mystogan reminded him.

"Yeah yeah, let's just blow this joint." The dragon slayer pulled back his fist and threw it at the door.

" **Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!** " The door blew back under his pressure and smashed into the opposite wall. He looked in to see the shocked expressions of several of the dark guild members.

"What the hell just happened?"

"That brat just blew up our entrance!"

"How did he even find our hideout?"

"Who cares kill him!" The mages all charged up several attacks and launched them at Natsu. To their surprise the spells went right through him. While they were confused, Natsu calmly turned to look at Mystogan who was walking through the destroyed doorway with one of his staffs held up.

"So you're joining in the brawl this time? You usually sit back and let me handle it." He commented.

"With a dark guild this size it's better that we work together." The masked wizard said drawing another one of his staffs. He deflected a blast from a spell and blew a hole into a wall, taking out several members at the same time. The dragon slayer shrugged at his comment and slammed his fists together.

"I'm all fired up now!" He shouted, jumping into the middle of the crowd of dark mages. His fire blast threw several of them back but some of them got up and more came running out from several doorways. He drew back his hands and two trails of fire came out from his palms.

" **Fire Dragon's Whip!** " He threw his flames forward and drew them in a cross in front of him. Most of the men were blown back but they got up again, but not before he noticed some stairs going down.

"Hey Mystogan I'm going downstairs!" He called to his partner. The masked man nodded his agreement and threw out the rest of his staffs into different parts of the room.

" **Five-Layered Magic Circle!** " He cried and several circles formed above most of the thugs.

"Hey, what's that?"

"It looks kind of like a tower." While the men were distracted Natsu dashed through them, knocking out some more in the process, and reached the doorway just as Mystogan's spell came crashing down.

"Natsu get out of the way!" Mystogan shouted and the dragon slayer looked up to see part of the roof come down on top of him. Everyone jumped out of the way and it hit the ground with a big bang. Everyone shielded their eyes from the dust cloud that rose up. As it settled Mystogan glanced around at the stunned enemies before he hurried over to the rubble.

"Natsu are you alright?" He asked. For a moment he didn't hear anything but then the sound of coughing reached his ears.

"Yeah I'm okay, just hit my head when I jumped through the doorway. I'm going to blow this thing up so step back." Natsu told him.

"Don't do that, it might bring down the rest of the roof on top of us!" Mystogan shouted in alarm and the dragon slayer was quiet for a moment.

"So what are we supposed to do?" He asked. While he was thinking, the masked mage glanced around again at the dark mages and noticed some of them were beginning to get up.

'We don't have much time to talk.' He thought.

"Hey, I'm going to check out where this goes." Natsu's comment startled him but he quickly composed himself and countered an attack that was aimed at his head. He knocked the man unconscious with his staff before turning back towards where Natsu was.

"Don't go running off on your own, we don't know the layout of the building and we could be separated for several hours while the members of Burning Thunder try and hunt us down." He argued but he heard Natsu groan in annoyance.

"But staying here for so long is going to be boring and besides, staying around here is going to let them find me that much easier." He said. Without looking, Mystogan deflected a blast of magic that had been heading his way. It slammed into the man that had sent it and thrown him against the opposite wall, creating a small explosion.

"What was that?" Natsu asked worriedly.

"It's nothing now stay there." He ordered but all he received was silence. "Natsu? Natsu!" Finally his shouting seemed to gain the dragon slayers attention.

"Sorry I thought I heard… crying. I'm going to go check it out." He said and the man heard his footsteps slowly retreating.

"No, Natsu you need to stay there. Natsu!" Mystogan shouted but after a couple of moments he heard the pinkette's footsteps disappear. He cursed to himself and turned around at the remaining guild members who had grouped themselves at the opposite side of the room, conversing among themselves. He grabbed one of his staffs that was still sticking out of the ground and spun it along with the other one. Some of the men noticed he was getting ready to attack and turned to face him.

'What I'm more worried about than them finding Natsu is the guild master. Even though we've destroyed most of the members he still hasn't shown up to fight us. Where is he?'

 **-Meanwhile-**

Natsu was walking through a long, twisting hallway that were lit with several flickering torches. There were several different passages that branched off from the main path but he ignored them and continued walking down the original tunnel. He seemed to be in a trance, following the sound through the halls until he came upon a iron door. He stopped for a moment before he reached out and burned a hole through the metal, allowing him to walk through as if it wasn't there. Once he had walked through the burned metal he took a look around the room he was now in. It had torches like the passage earlier but was narrower and had several doors that looked like they would belong in a prison. It seemed to reach out forever before it disappeared into the darkness where the torches light didn't reach.

Natsu looked through one door and saw several chains and a stretching rack. For several minutes all he did was stare at the dried blood on the shackles. He finally drew his attention away from the scene when he heard some soft whimpering, something that was deafening to his ears. He walked over to the next room and took a look inside. It didn't have any torches inside it so the light from outside cast strange shadows into the room. Even though it was dark, Natsu could see a pair of legs sticking out of the darkness, both covered in bruises and marks on them, as if they had been cut or whipped. He could make out a figure in the shadow but he couldn't make out any definite detail.

"Hello?" He asked and the legs shot back into the darkness.

"P-please don't hurt me any more." A girl's voice said, scratchy and dry from lack of water.

"I'm not going to hurt you. Why are you in here?"

"T-they said that my parents didn't have enough money to pay them so my parents gave me to them as payment instead." After she finished the kid broke down in tears while Natsu stared at her in shock.

"You're parents gave you to these people?" He asked softly and he heard a sniffled yes.

"That's a lie!" He shouted and the girl jumped at his exclamation. "They would never do something like that!"

"That's what the man told me." She said sadly.

"What man?" Natsu asked.

"That would be me." Someone said from the shadows of the hallway. The dragon slayer turned towards the voice only to be thrown back by a blast of light. He slammed into the wall next to the melted door and slid down, stunned. He could faintly hear the prison door scraping open and the shuffling of feet as the girl tried to scramble away from the man.

"Leave her own." He tried to say but his voice came out slurred. He struggled to get up but it seemed like his body wouldn't listen to his commands.

"What's wrong pinky, something wrong?" The man taunted. Natsu managed to raise his head and glare at him. In front of him was a tall, lanky man with perfectly combed hair and finely dressed clothes. He was standing with a nonchalant expression and had a hand on the girl that had been in the prison. He didn't seem to have a hard grip on her but she still shook in fear and kept glancing at the man behind her, as if he would suddenly lash out at her.

"Let go of her." The pinkette growled and attempted to get up again but failed. The man's smirk seemed to grow bigger.

"By now you're probably realizing that your body isn't doing what you're telling it to. The reason for that is because of my magic. It can damage your nerves and disorient you so you start seeing things that aren't there, but that's not all it can do." The man raised his other hand and a blue light sparked to life in his hand and he threw it in front of Natsu. He stared at it as it sparked and crackled for several moments before it suddenly started shrinking.

His eyes widened in surprise and he tried to make himself smaller before the ball exploded and he was thrown through the wall in a shower of stone and shrapnel. He hit the ground and rolled several times before he righted himself and stood up. He stumbled for several seconds before he managed to get over his dizziness. He glanced around the room he was in and noticed that he had ended up in what looked like the sleeping area for the regular guild members. There was a long row of beds that were all surprisingly neat and tidy but they kept flashing in and out of his vision. He focused his attention back on the hole in the wall, which the man had just walked through, still holding on to the girl.

"Who are you?" Natsu demanded and the man paused for a moment.

"Ah, my apologies I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Hikari Soro and I am the guild master of Burning Thunder." He said with a smirk.

"And you're the one who told her that her parents just gave her to you? I don't believe that they would just do that!" He said but Hikari simply chuckled while the girl looked down in sadness.

"It's true they couldn't pay our taxes so they decided to offer their girl up instead. And look, I've taken good care of her." He said while motioning to her. For the first time, Natsu noticed the condition of the girl. She had rags for clothing with several rips and tears. Her wrists were scarred by where the chains that must have been. She had several cuts and bruises on her arms and legs but what really grabbed his attention was the massive scar that ran from the side of her head to the corner of her mouth and curved up and over her eye like a U. The most horrifying part was that her left ear was missing.

"What did you do to her?" The dragon slayer demanded and and Hikari just laughed at his expression.

"I made her beautiful of course. Everything in the world has to be made perfect and that's why I fix everything in the world that's ugly. This girl here was an example of the ugliness of the world and I corrected her flaws, isn't that right?" He asked the girl but she just looked at the ground. He scowled and spun her around to face him.

"Answer me!" He shouted in her face and she flinched before nodding furiously.

"Say it!" He ordered. She was quiet until he suddenly slapped her across the face.

"Say it you bitch!"

"Leave her alone!" Natsu shouted but Hikari blasted him back with another yellow blast of light before turning back to the girl. The dragon slayer tried to get back up but his body wasn't responding again. So all he could do was watch the man hit the girl again.

"Say it!"

"Y-You made me perfect. I-I was ugly and you made me beautiful." She stammered and he nodded before throwing her against the wall. She slammed into it and her head collided with it with a sickening crack. She slumped against the wall and remained motionless while Hikari looked at her disdainfully before sighing

"Perfection is so hard to find, and even harder to create but that is the way life is." He said sadly.

"You…" He turned to look at Natsu who was growling at him.

"What is it pinky? I didn't quite hear you." Hikari asked but he froze when he saw the dragon slayer look at him. Scales decorated the boys eyes he arm that he could see had them covering it as well, almost like armor. His eyes had become slits and his teeth had elongated into fangs while his fingernails had become claws. He clawed the ground and his fingers gouged out parts of the stone. Hikari's eyes widened in horror as he watched Natsu slowly get up, seemingly ignoring any of his wounds.

'Impossible, he took three of my plasma spells at full force and he's still getting up? This kid is a monster! I need to end his life before he can cause any more destruction!' He thought worriedly. He formed a red ball in his hand and threw it at the dragon slayer. To his shock the boy caught it with his bare hand.

" **Fire Dragon's Crushing Fist!** " His hand caught aflame with a rainbow colored fire and with a swift motion, he crushed the crimson orb in his hand. It sparked slightly before the flames consumed it.

"You smell disgusting." Hikari managed to pull his attention from the fire and stared at the dragon slayer in confusion.

"W-What do you mean?" He stuttered, too scared to think how strange the comment was.

"All your crimes, all the pain you've caused and the people you've hurt, I can sense all of it. It's a stench that will never go away no matter what you do, it gives away everything evil you did and now because of that, I'm going to kill you!" Natsu screamed as his body became encased in his rainbow fire and he leaped at Hikari.

 **-Meanwhile-**

Mystogan deflected the last attack and blasted the man into a wall, effectively knocking him out. The masked wizard looked around at the groups of defeated dark guild members before sighing and sitting down on a broken piece of stone. It wasn't that he was worn out, it was just that fighting by yourself against a room full of people trying to kill you would wear anyone out.

'I hope Natsu is doing all right. I should probably try to find him before he finds any trouble.' He thought. Suddenly a tremor shook through the building, causing more of the roof to collapse around him. Mystogan shot up and looked around him but he couldn't see any reason for the sudden shaking. A flash of light caught his attention and he turned to the pile of rubble that had separated him and Natsu. It was dark for a moment but then he could see a flash of blue soon followed by a sudden burst of rainbow that looked slightly like fire. The lights continued to flicker several times and each time he could hear the sounds of fighting drawing closer.

'It looks more like trouble found him. But why does his fire seem different?' He wondered but before he could think too much about it the stones blocking the doorway were blasted apart. Mystogan ducked behind a stone and covered himself with his cloak as more shrapnel and dust covered the room. When it settled down he stood back up and looked around again. Most of the guild members were now buried in rubble and they didn't seem like they were getting up anytime soon. In the middle of the room was Natsu and his opponent, who was obviously the guild master. The man used to have a nice outfit but now it had so many rips and burns in it that it looked more like rags than actual clothing. He was breathing heavily and he had a long scratch running down his arm which was bleeding profusely. As Mystogan watched the man as he formed a yellow ball in his hand and blasted it towards Natsu. To his surprise the dragon slayer swept his hand in front of him and a sudden explosion of fire erupted in front of him, blocking him from sight. For some reason the color of them wasn't red, or even white, but The attack collided with the flames and seemed to be absorbed by them.

"Damn you!" The man screamed and he threw several consecutive spells at Natsu but none of them made contact with him. After a couple of minutes the attack slowed down before stopping. There was a moment of silence as the two men stared at the fire, waiting for something to happen. Suddenly something burst through the flames and tackled the guild master's, still encased in fire. He slammed into the ground and the flames dissipated to reveal Natsu, pinning the man to the ground and Mystogan had to stare at him in shock.

'He's gone into dragon force again!' He remembered the last time Natsu had gone into dragon force, he had wiped out an entire dark guild without breaking a sweat and here he was now, focusing on only one man. He may be the guild master of Burning Thunder but even he didn't stand a chance against Natsu. He was drawn out of his thoughts by a scream of pain. He looked over to see Natsu with his right arm stretched across his body and blood was dripping from his claw like nails. The man under him was the one yelling and he was holding his face

'I need to stop Natsu before he kill him!' Mystogan rushed over to dragon slayer and just as he raised his arm again, he grabbed it.

"Natsu that's enough!" He said and Natsu turned to glare at him.

"He needs to pay for what he did!" He growled, jerking his arm away from Mystogan and focusing back on the guild master.

"He may have done some evil thing but let the magic council handle him. He'll be sent to prison and he'll rot there for the rest of his life. That's enough punishment for him, you don't need to do anything else." He urged and the dragon slayer was quiet as he stared at the injured man beneath him.

"You can't sense it can you?" He asked quietly and Mystogan looked at him confused.

"What do you mean? Is there a spell at work?" He asked but Natsu shook his head slowly. "Then what?" Before the pinkette replied he suddenly stiffened before turning to look around at the other dark guild members.

"Every one of these men have killed and raped and tortured people simply for their own amusement. Prison is too good for these men, and him!" He turned to look back down on the guild master who was trying to crawl away. "He talks about making everything beautiful but he did it by torturing an innocent girl that he took from her parents. And he has the gall to say that they gave her to him! He has to pay for what he's done!" He shouted and he raised his hand again. This time his claws were all together as if it was a spear. Mystogan made a grab for him but he missed. With a quick jab, Natsu buried his hand into Hikari's gut. There was a brief moment where nothing happened before blood began pouring out of the wound. The man coughed and Natsu's face was splattered with his blood. Mystogan pulled the dragon slayer back and looked at the wound. At simply a glance he knew there wasn't any point in trying to help.

"Congratulations Natsu, you just killed a man." He said but all he heard was silence. He turned to Natsu to see him staring at his bloody hand in what seemed to be... fascination?

"Natsu?" Mystogan stood up and walked over to the dragon slayer. He stopped in front of him but the pinkette didn't seem to notice him, still staring at his dripping hand.

"I-I just killed a man." He said softly and his friend nodded.

"How do you feel?" He asked and Natsu finally turned to look at him. As he watched, Mystogan saw the scales around his eyes and on his arm slowly fade into his skin and his pupils turned back into their normal shape.

"Confused, I just killed someone but I don't feel sorry for what I did. I know that I should be feeling sorry or sad but I just don't feel it. Why is that?" He wondered.

"Maybe living with a dragon made you used to violence." The masked wizard suggested but Natsu shook his head.

"When ever he killed something he did it away from the cave and only came back with cooked pieces of meat until he thought I was old enough to cook my own." He paused, before his eyes widened in horror. "Could being sent back in time by Zeref have made me not care about death? Am I becoming like him?" He asked, grabbing Mystogan's shoulders and shaking him slightly. He stopped when the older man rested a hand on his own shoulder.

"I doubt something like that would happen and besides you still care about your friends dying so that disproves that theory." He explained and that seemed to somewhat calm Natsu down.

"Then what could it be?" He asked but the wizard shook his head before suddenly pinning the dragon slayer with a glare.

"I don't know but one thing I am sure is that you are never going to do something like that again. If you do then I will never teach you anymore, understood?" He asked and Natsu slowly nodded.

"Yeah I understand completely but he still deserved to die." He argued but another glare from Mystogan quieted him.

"Let's go." Mystogan ordered. He turned around and began to walk out of the ruins of the guild, with Natsu following close behind him.

 **-Flashback End-**

"Helping the guild isn't worth killing someone over. Don't join the darkness that you are working so hard to fight." Mystogan said as he let Natsu go. He stepped back and watched the dragon slayer as he glared at him. Slowly, Natsu nodded and began to walk away. The masked watched him leave before sighing.

'I hope he'll listen. If he wants to defeat Zeref he first has to learn not to go into the darkness. The only thing there is pain and suffering. The longer he stays there the harder it will be to go back.' He turned around and began to head back to the guild.

'Good luck Natsu, you will need it.'

 **Everyone I have an announcement to make.**

 **...I will be taking a break from posting so I can have more chapters set up when I do begin again. I know you are upset but please understand that I keep posting late. Not only am I writing this fanfiction but I'm going to write another one as well so please try to understand and thank you.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

 **Hello everybody, I would like to start off with a massive apology! I said that I would take a break and, like most of you knew, that break lasted a lot longer then it should have. But I'm now back and hopefully here to stay. Anyway's here is the next long awaited chapter so enjoy!**

 **Wacko12: I know you! I love your story Beginning of END! If you could please update it that would be awesome because I want to read more of the story. As to the girl, unfortunately she was killed. At the start I wanted her to survive and be reunited with her family but I didn't really get to a spot to do that so she died.**

 **Synergizer: Thank you for understanding! Don't worry it didn't last too long!**

 **True Red Dragon: Thank you for reminding me of the lightning flame dragon mode! I am definitely going to be using it soon and trust me, it's going to be spectacular.**

 **DraigTrueEmpreror9: Yes I do apologise for what happened to the girl but Natsu needs to see what the world is really like. And I so agree, Jackal should have busted in there and blasted them all apart!**

 **Astroman1000: Thank you I will definitely check out the story which is right here should anyone want to see it. Luffy's Renewed Adventure by F-ckthesystem125. Thank you for being patient with me.**

 **WolfGaming: Yes I think Mystogan really should play a bigger part in the series. As to the rainbow colored flames, that's what I thought would work. Black flames do sound better though and I do have an idea how to put that into the story so thank you! I hope you enjoy the story and I do agree that too many stories is bad for a writer but posting a story is also bad and that's why I'm taking a break. Thank you for understanding!**

 **TheUltimateDragonSlayer: You reviewed at chapter 5 but honestly I don't know what you said. Who is Resale?**

 **Frozem1: Thank you for the compliment!**

 **Kazuka746: Yeah someone else did mention that so I am going to change the color of the fire. As for END, I want to do it but I have my Return of END story and I'm also planning another story with END so… I'm not sure what I'll do.**

 **Mmaallek: First of all, thank you for that terrific post, I loved it! Second of all I will be making Lucy a bit more OOC because you are absolutely right and she is really winey at the beginning. Also about Ultear, I sorta messed up with that. With Mysty, I honestly don't know what I'm going to do with him. If you have any ideas please tell me! Thank you and I hope you enjoy the next chapter.**

 **: Congrats! You are right on all three accounts, and I love the reasoning you have for each of them!**

 **RmsThakoer: You are right about the first but not the other two but it is great reasoning behind the third. The reason I didn't mention anything about introducing her is simply that we haven't reached her arc yet.**

 **EVERYONE: I have been getting some questions about pairings and I will put your doubts to rest now. It will be a strictly Erza and Natsu pairing. There might be some other pairings but those two will be their own couple.**

Ring! Ring! Natsu groaned in dismay as he rolled over and hit the snooze button on his alarm clock. He rolled over and attempted to get back to sleep.

"Natsu I'm hungry!" Happy's cry once more caused the pinkette's rest to be interrupted. Sighing, he finally gave up on sleep and sat up in bed. In front of him, the blue cat was flying around in circles as he begged for food.

"Alright buddy, I'll get you some fish." He relented and the exceed cheered before flying into the kitchen. Natsu chuckled in amusement before he got out of his bed. He pulled on his pants and his jacket but left his shirt off. He walked out of his room and looked around at the other occupants. Happy had settled down and was sitting at the table and drinking some milk. Mystogan was sitting in the living room and drinking some tea while he read the morning newspaper. They were in two different rooms but they might has well have been in one because of the size of the apartment.

It was a pretty small place, consisting of the kitchen, the living room, two bedrooms, and a bathroom but Natsu and Mystogan liked it and it was only 100,000 jewels a month. It was perfect for the two mages and Happy, since none of them liked living in a fancy place, especially the masked mage. After all, he had lived in a castle most of his childhood so he was probably sick of it.

'Speaking of Mystogan, we haven't spoken since our 'talk' the other day.' Natsu thought as he cooked some fish and eggs and bacon for breakfast. They had both returned to the guild at different times and both did their separate things. Mystogan had gone upstairs and disappeared to do whatever the hell he did while Natsu had sat down at one of the tables and written in one of his notebooks. Everyone else in the guild had seemed to notice the tension and had steered a clear path around Natsu, not that he really noticed anyway. When it got dark Mystogan had walked up to his table and nodded before walking out with Natsu following behind silently.

"Breakfast's ready!" He called and his roommate walked into the kitchen.

"Thank you Natsu." He said and sat down and began eating quietly

"Yeah, no problem." He muttered and sat down to eat.

'I can't wait to get through with this shit.' He thought but before he could start eating, the doorbell rang. He got up and walked towards the door. He looked through the peephole and blinked in surprise before opening the door to reveal Lucy looking at him nervously.

"Hey Luce what are you doing here?" He asked and she smiled at him.

"Hey Natsu, I wanted to ask you something." She said and he motioned her inside. Once she was through the doorway, he shut it and led her to the living room.

"So what did you want to talk about?" He asked and she looked around nervously again.

"It's something kind of private, can we talk about it with Mystogan and Happy here?" She asked quietly and Natsu nodded.

"There in the kitchen eating breakfast and besides, they know everything about me." He said with a grin.

"Even whatever's bothering you so much?" She asked quietly and his smile faded.

"Some of it yes." He muttered and looked to the side when she tried to make eye contact.

"Then why won't you tell anyone else? Everyone's tried to find out what's wrong but you keep shutting everyone out. Even Erza's tried to find out what's going on but you and Mystogan wouldn't tell her anything. What's going on? Does it have to do something with that council member that came by yesterday or is it about the war?" She blurted out before blushing in embarrassment as Natsu stared at her in shock.

"Where did you hear that there would be a war?" He asked and now it was Lucy's time to frown.

"When you first brought me to the guild you jumped on the bar and said it really quietly, as if you were talking to yourself. The only reason I heard you was because I was hiding under the bar right beneath you." She said. Suddenly he grabbed her arms and pinned her to the couch.

"Ow Natsu!" She complained but she stopped when she looked into his eyes. He was staring at her with wide eyes, with an almost scary intensity. He was watching her with a strange look in his eye, like he was… afraid?

"Promise me." His request snapped her out of her trance and she blinked a couple of times in confusion.

"What?" She asked dumbly and he increased the pressure of his grip on her arms.

"Promise me that you won't tell anyone!" He hissed and she nodded.

"I promise. Can you please let me go, you're hurting me." She whimpered and he looked down to see his nails were starting to dig into her skin. He quickly let go and sat back down in his seat.

"I'm so sorry Luce, I don't know what I was doing. I was just so, so worried." He mumbled. How could he hurt Lucy like that, she was just trying to make sure he was okay and here he was, flipping out because of what she said. But really, why shouldn't he be worrying? She heard him talking about Zeref of all people, although he didn't say his name and that was a relief.

"Natsu?" He looked up to see Lucy looking at him worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine just thinking." He said with a grin but it disappeared when she glared at him.

"Really?" She asked disbelievingly.

"Really! It's just that... it's something that could make someone upset." He admitted sadly.

"That's why you didn't want to say anything?" He looked up to see Lucy smiling at him. "If it affects someone else besides you should tell them, it doesn't help anyone to keep it to yourself."

"Even if it hurts that person?" He asked quietly and he saw her smile falter before she nodded firmly.

"If it's something like that then you should definitely tell them so they can deal with it and get it over with. It'll only hurt them if they don't deal with it and it'll make you that even worse in the end." She told him sternly.

"She's right you know." Both of them jumped and turned to see Mystogan standing in the doorway.

"How long have you been there?" Natsu asked. He had been too focused on Lucy to even hear the man coming.

"Just now so you don't have to worry about me interfering" He said flippantly and the dragon slayer growled in annoyance. The blonde looked at the two of them in confusion.

"What's going on with you two? You guys seemed to be like this yesterday too." She asked and the two stared at each other for another moment before turning to her.

"It's nothing." They said in unison. She looked at Natsu and then Mystogan before shaking her head.

"You two were upset with each other a moment ago and now it's like you're working together. You two make no sense whatsoever." She said and the pinkette scratched the back of his head.

"Well that's just the way we are." He said and Mystogan nodded.

"We fight over things but we come together to do our jobs." He said, walking over and taking a seat on the couch.

"Your job, like the war?" Lucy asked and the two glanced at each other, communicating silently, before Natsu slowly nodded.

"Yeah, and I should probably tell you about it." He said and she stared at him in shock.

"Really, you'll tell me?" She asked hesitantly. Instead of answering, he glanced around before turning to Mystogan.

"Where's Happy right now?" He asked and the masked mage motioned towards the kitchen.

"I told him to wait there so he's probably eating your breakfast right now." He said and Natsu face palmed before facing Lucy again.

"I'll tell you but only on two conditions, first you don't do anything with what I'm going to tell you and second, you don't tell anyone else. That includes Erza, Gray, or Happy." He said firmly. She looked at him in confusion.

"Why can't I tell them? They should know too." She asked but he quickly shook his head.

"Erza and Gray will just try and solve the problem on their own without Gramp's approval and they won't listen, but they're not powerful enough to do anything. And Happy… well he might accidently tell everyone even if he didn't mean to and I don't want to take that chance."

"But what about telling-" She began.

"No." Natsu said firmly and she nodded silently. He watched her for a moment before he began talking.

"In a couple of months the guild Phantom Lord is going to attack Fairy Tail, there going to destroy our building and try to attack our friends. I won't let them do that and in retaliation they're going to try and attack us with everything they have. It's against the law for magic guilds to fight, but they're going to break that rule anyways. They're going to throw everything away just to prove their better than us." He explained with a scowl while Lucy stared at him with wide eyes.

'Phantom Lord would hurt our guild mates? I actually thought of joining them at one point but then Natsu found me. Now I'm glad I didn't join a group so ruthless as them.' She thought, relieved, before she thought of a question.

"How come they don't like us so much that they'd attack us?" She asked and this time Mystogan answered.

"No one is entirely sure but the legend is that Phantom Lord was created at the same time Fairy Tail was. They've been our rivals as long as anyone in the guild can remember and every time we've run into each other we've come to odds." He said before turning to Natsu. "What I don't understand is why they're trying to eliminate us. The master of Phantom Lord may want to have the best guild but he's smart enough not to try and attack us unless he has a lot to gain from it." The dragon slayer looked away from them and was quiet for a moment before he began to speak.

"He… has another reason for attacking us. A little while ago they got a new job. Normally only one of the guild members would take the job, similar to Fairy Tail. What made this one difference was the payment of the bounty and what it was for. The person who wanted the job done offered several million jewels for it, and all that had to be done was find someone." He explained. Even though he couldn't see their expressions he could guess how they were reacting. Mystogan was probably surprised and staring at Natsu in shock, after all, what mission for finding some gave you that much money except for government paid jobs. And Lucy, well she was probably in shock. She was thinking of who was that might have been that hired Phantom Lord, and unfortunately she was right but he wasn't going to say anything unless she asked. She deserved to try and be happy for a while.

"Do you have any idea who it is that hired them?" He winced at her question before he turned around to face her.

"Yes. It was a man named Jude Heartfillia, you father." He said quietly and her eyes widened in horror.

"W-Why would he want me back? He hasn't cared about me and now he suddenly wants me back? H-How do you even know that he's my father?" She asked and Natsu stiffened in surprise.

'Damnit, what am I supposed to say? She never mentioned her last name so what am I supposed to say?' He thought worriedly but thankfully Mystogan came to his rescue.

"When we heard about the job we did some research and found out he was related to you. Everything else was hypothesis and information we picked up." He said. She nodded before she gasped in realization.

"So Phantom Lord wanting to attack us, planning to hurt our friends, it's all my fault?" She asked in a hoarse whisper, tears coming to her eyes. Mystogan immediately shook his head and grabbed her hand, making her look up at him.

"No it's his own fault that he pushed you away. Never think that you're to blame because it's not, it's never your fault." He assured her and she stared at him in shock.

"B-But-" She stammered but he cut her off.

"It's not the children's job to fix the parents mistakes. Just because he's you father, don't take responsibility for his actions. We'll defeat Phantom Lord and make sure that they'll never get there hands on you." He promised and she nodded tearfully.

"T-Thank you." She mumbled and they stayed like that for a moment before she noticed he was still holding her hand. She began to blush a bright red, something that Happy noticed right away as he walked in.

"You liiiiiiiiike him." He cooed and she immediately glared at him.

"Shut it cat!" She shrieked and began to chase him around the room while the other two watched their antics.

"That was a nice speech." Natsu commented and Mystogan shrugged.

"I just told her the truth." Was all he said. They watched the girl and the cat for a while longer before the dragon slayer sighed.

"I just want to say that I'm sorry." He said and the masked wizard looked at him out of the corner of his eye but didn't say anything so the pinkette continued talking.

"Listening to Lucy worry about how she would affect her friends reminded me why I started doing this in the first place. I didn't train so I could kill anyone who stood against me, I did it so I could protect those precious to me. They haven't been through what I have so they aren't used to violence so they won't understand why I'm hurting people when I'm trying to protect them. In the long run, all it would do is hurt them and that's something I don't want to happen. So if we can, I want to move past this and start working together again. Can we do that?" He asked quietly. Mystogan was silent for a moment before he slowly nodded.

"Fighting each other isn't going to get anything accomplished. If we're going to help achieve each other goals then we have to have full trust in each other, if we don't then all we've worked for is going to come apart." He said and Natsu grinned while he rubbed his hands together.

"Great, now let's go on a job!" He said cheerfully before standing up and turning to Lucy and Happy. She was pinching his cheeks and pulling them while he called her fat and ugly, making her even more enraged.

"Hey guys let's go get a job from the guild!" He said and they turned to look at him.

"Okay, I need to get some money for my apartment anyway." The blonde said with a smile.

"Let's go!" The cat said excitedly, flying over to his friend and sitting on his head. Natsu chuckled and scratched the exceed's ears.

"In a minute buddy, first I have to get ready." He said and went into his room. He took off his jacket and put his shirt in before placing his jacket back over it, then he brushed his teeth and combed his hair. Once he was done they began to head towards the guild.

"So what kind of job do you think we should take?" Lucy asked curiously, something which she instantly regretted as she saw his shark like grin.

"Why don't we do something challenging?" He asked mischievously and she swallowed nervously.

"W-What sort of challenge?" She asked.

"Don't worry Luce, it's nothing too hard." He assured her and she sighed a breath of relief. "It's just an S-Class quest!"

"...WHAT?!" She shrieked.

"Wow Natsu how are you going to convince Gramps to let us do that?" Happy asked excitedly.

"Mysty's going to bring us with him!" The dragon slayer said and the masked wizard sighed at the use of his nickname.

"If I do take you I want you to do to everything I tell you to do, understood? He asked and Natsu and the exceed saluted him.

"Yes sir!" They shouted and he sighed again. Meanwhile Lucy was shaking in fear.

"What if we run into a monster or a group of bandits that we can't beat?" She asked worriedly. Natsu flashed her a reassuring grin.

"We can take care of anything the job throws at us Lucy, so don't worry! Besides, I heard the reward for the job was several million jewels and a golden zodiac key!" He said and her eyes flashed with dollar signs.

"What are we waiting for, let's go!" She cheered.

"Last one to the guild gets a smaller cut of the reward!" The pinkette shouted, rushing off.

"Wait for me Natsu!" Happy cried as he flew after his friend.

"I'm not losing the money- I mean this race to them!" Lucy said before chasing after the two. As Mystogan watched them run off a smile formed on his face.

'That's the Natsu everyone remembers, happy and upbeat. Hopefully he'll stay like that for a little while longer.' Mystogan thought as he followed them.

 **-A couple of minutes later-**

"I win!" Natsu cheered as he reached the doors of the guild.

"That's no fair Natsu, you got a head start!" Happy wined as he caught up to him.

"Sorry buddy, I'll buy you a fish to make it up to you." The dragon slayer promised and the cat immediately cheered up

"Alright let's go!" He shouted as Lucy came crawling up. She was bright red and gasping for breath.

"You guys ran too fast!" She complained.

"It worked out fine didn't it Luce?" Natsu asked and she nodded before glaring at him.

"Yeah but I wouldn't have gotten as much money if I had lost!" She grumbled. He gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, everyone would get an equal amount of money. I was just messing with you." He said and she stared at him in disbelief.

"Then what was us all the running for?" She shrieked.

"For exercise of course!" He said with a grin. She stared at him for another moment before collapsing on the ground.

"I freaking hate you." She muttered tiredly. Natsu frowned at her comment and started to say something.

"Hey Pinky what did you do to Lucy?" He looked up to see Gray walking up to them.

"I didn't do anything! She was the one who decided to run Popsicle!" He argued but the ice mage simply scoffed.

"Yeah and you probably tricked her into running Squinty." He said.

"So, you wanna make something of it?" Natsu asked, butting his head with the black haired boy's skull.

"Yeah, I do." Gray growled as he balled his fists. Before the two could start duking it out, Happy landed on the dragon slayer's head.

"You said we were going on a job Natsu! We can't do that if you're fighting Gray." He wined.

"It'll just take a second to beat his face in, then we can do that awesome job." The pinkette replied with a grin.

"What job's got you so excited, are you going to eat a barrel of fish?" Gray asked the feline.

"Fish, where?" Happy began to look around for it and everyone sweat dropped at his antics.

"We're going to go on an S-class quest." Lucy explained as she stood up, having recovered from her brief dash to the guild. Gray stared at her in shock.

"How the hell are you going to do that? There's no way that Gramps would let you go on something that dangerous!" He protested.

"He will because Mystogan's coming with us and we're going to punch bad guys in the face together!" Happy said excitedly.

"That's not fair, just because you know an S-class wizard doesn't mean that you can just go on jobs with them." Gray argued.

"Do you want to come with us Icicle?" Natsu suddenly asked and the ice mage blinked in surprise.

"Why would you want me to go on a job with you Flamethrower?" He asked suspiciously.

"What, I can't ask my friend to do a job with me?" The dragon slayer asked with a grin. If it was possible, Gray seemed even more shocked at what he had said.

"That's a good idea you should come with us!" Lucy exclaimed.

"I guess so, but only if Gramps says so." The ice mage relented. A moment later he went flying as Natsu cheerfully slapped him on the back. He hit the wall but was up a moment later, an angry look on his face.

"Watch what you're doing Pyro!" He shouted.

"It's not my fault that you can't handle my strength Stripper!" Natsu muttered. Before they could begin fighting Mystogan joined them.

"Calm down you two, we have a job to do." He said calmly and the pinkette turned to him with a grin.

"Hey, Gray's joining us too!" He said and the S-class wizard nodded in understanding.

"Alright, let's talk to Gramps!" The dragon slayer cheered and they all entered the guild. The others stayed by the door while Natsu walked over to the master.

"Hey Gramps I have a favor to ask!" He shouted and he gained almost everyone's attention.

"What can I do for you Natsu?" Makarov asked and the boy rubbed his head sheepishly at all the sudden stares before lowering his voice slightly.

"I was wondering if we could take an S-class quest." He said just as the master was taking a sip of beer. The old man comically took a spit take before staring at Natsu for a few moments in surprise.

"What gave you the idea to ask something like that?" He asked, shocked. He had asked it slightly louder than he had intended and the other guild members began to pay attention to them again.

"Well I thought that it would be good experience to do something so challenging, and besides, I did beat Erza so doesn't that technically mean that I'm S-class material." Natsu pointed out. The master thought about it for a minute before glancing behind him at the others.

"And Lucy and Gray? They're far from Erza's level and Mystogan can do one of them on his own so why them?" He questioned as he stroked his beard.

"Well Gray is pretty close to become S-class and Lucy does need the experience. As for Mysty, well he agreed to come along with us for back up just in case something goes bad. Come on Gramps it's just one job what's the worst that could happen?" The dragon slayer pleaded. Makarov was silent for a moment before finally sighing.

"I know I'm going to regret this but go ahead and grab one off the board." He relented. A second later he was tackled in a bear hug.

"Thanks a bunch Gramps!" Natsu said excitedly before dashing upstairs.

"Show me which one you pick so I can say if you can do it or not!" The master shouted up and everyone stared in shock as they saw the pinkette dash up the stairs to the upper level.

"Master are you sure that it's okay for him to do something like that?" Mira asked worriedly but Makarov just took a drink from his mug.

"He's strong enough to do this and besides, Mystogan agreed to come along with him." He assured her. She frowned slightly when she saw Lucy and Gray with the masked wizard but before she could say anything everyone heard a commotion upstairs.

"What did I tell you would happen if you ever came up here again you weakling!" A shout sounded and a moment later Natsu went flying out from the upper level. He landed on his feet and skidded back, stopping in front of his friends.

"Are you alright Natsu?" Lucy asked but he simply nodded, staring at the man who had appeared from the shadows upstairs.

"Maybe that will teach you a lesson of where you belong." Laxus snarled.

"Laxus, you don't attack your family!" The master shouted angrily but his grandson just scoffed.

"He's not related to me so he's not my family. Anyway aren't you supposed to stop people who don't belong on my level?" He asked.

"The master gave him permission to get an S-class quest Laxus!" Mira said but the blonde seemed to become even angrier. He glared at her for a moment before turning to Makarov.

"You can't be serious Gramps! If you let those weaklings go then the next thing you know they'll be wanting to be made S-class wizards!" He shouted. This time it was Mystogan who spoke up.

"Doing this job isn't to decide if they're S-class or not, it's for simple experience. If you want to make this guild strong don't you need strong members?" He asked.

"And what is it to you Mystogan? You're gone most all the time so you can hide your secrets and train this loser. When are you going to tell the rest of the guild who you really are J-"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" A roar suddenly rocked through the guild and everyone turned in shock to see Natsu glaring at Laxus. The larger man simply smirked at the dragon slayer.

"What's wrong 'Pinky', did I get on your nerves? Or could it be, you know the truth?" He wondered, spitting out the nickname as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.

"That's enough Laxus!" Makarov shouted. "I and everyone else have put up with you for long enough, and now you've crossed the line! Not only have you attacked another guild member but you also broke your promise to Mystogan and me! I want you out of here this instance!"

"You can't kick me out of Fairy Tail!" Laxus roared but his grandfather simply frowned at him.

"You are still a member of Fairy Tail but you cannot return until you've learned that everyone here is your family." He said more calmly. The blonde stared at him for several moments before he jumped off the second story floor and landed in front of the master, cracking the floor underneath him.

"You're making a big mistake old man." He said threateningly.

"I made a mistake a long time ago by not helping you learn what it really mean to care for your comrades." Makarov said quietly. Laxus stared at him for several tense moments before he whirled around and charged at Natsu.

"This is all your damn fault!" He shouted as he swung a punch at the dragon slayer. There was a flash of lightning and everyone shielded their eyes. When the light died down, everyone looked on in shock. Natsu had managed to catch the blonde's fist and held it in place even though the bigger man seemed to be putting in all his power. The pinkette didn't seem to have any problem holding off the attack but he was scowling.

"You're just like your father." He hissed. Laxus' eyes widened in surprise and the master inhaled a sharp breath of air. Natsu used the moment to throw him over his shoulder. He walked over to the downed man, who shot up immediately.

"What did you say?" He demanded and the dragon slayer sneered at him.

"I said you're just like your father, as stuck up and selfish as he is. Just because you have daddy issues doesn't mean you should take it out on the rest of the guild." He growled. A moment later he leaped back in order to dodge Laxus' punch.

"Shut up!" He shouted, glaring at the pinkette.

"Why do you even stick up for that bastard? He never did anything for you except hurt you." Natsu demanded and the blonde glared at him for a moment before charging at him, encasing his body in lightning. The dragon slayer slid a foot back and settled into a defensive stance as he pulled out his staff. Suddenly a massive hand crashed into the ground between them, keeping them from fighting.

"Enough, both of you!" Makarov roared, towering over them in his titan form. He glared at each of them in turn. "Laxus I want you out, now! You may come back when you realize the importance of family." He had a silent stare off with his grandson before the blonde whirled around and marched out of the guild. There was a moment of tension before it slowly began to drain out.

"Natsu come with me to my office." The dragon slayer turned to see the master walking towards his office.

"What's wrong Gramps?" Gray asked but the old man simply waved the question off.

"I just need to talk with Natsu for a bit." He explained.

"Don't worry about it guys I'll be back in a sec!" Natsu said cheerfully. When the others nodded he caught up to Makarov. They walked into the man's office and they both took a seat.

"So Natsu." The master began said, interlacing his fingers. He was silent for a moment before sighing. "I wanted to ask this in a more gentler manner but I can't think of a way to do this, so I'll be blunt with you." He locked eye contact with Natsu in a steely gaze. "How do you know my son, Laxus' father, Ivan Dreyar? Natsu stared at him with shock while he mentally cursed himself.

'Why did I open my big mouth and let that split. Gah! I was so pissed at Laxus that I just wanted to see him angry!' He thought. He was drawn out of his panic by Makarov clearing his throat.

"Well Natsu, how is it that you know Ivan?" He asked again. Natsu was quiet for a moment before he answered.

"I met him when I was traveling with Mystogan. He had gone on a job and he had wanted me to stay behind and do some training. I was doing that when I was surrounded by several mages, including Ivan. He introduced himself as your son and said all he wanted to do was talk. He said that he was the guild master of Raven Tail and that he had an offer for me." He explained.

"What happened next?" The old man asked seriously.

"He wanted me to spy for him and if possible steal something for him called the 'Lumen Historie'. What is it?" The dragon slayer asked with a confused expression.

"It's nothing you need to worry about. What's important is when you said Ivan." The master said and Natsu just shrugged before continuing.

"I said no and beat the crap out of him and his men. He said that he would get Lumen Historie with or without my help and he stormed off, well more like he was carried off by his people." He said with a grin. Makarov sighed in exasperation before smiling at the pinkette.

"I'm glad you're safe Natsu but if you ever run into that man again, let me know." He said and the boy nodded.

"You got it Gramps!" Natsu said, saluting. A moment later, he shuffled around nervously. "So, about that S-class mission?"

"Ah yes, what job did you choose my boy?" Makarov asked, smiling gently. He knew how much Natsu wanted to go on this job, but he still had to decide if it was safe or not. The dragon slayer pulled out the flyer from his pocket and handed over to the master. The old man looked it over before he glanced back up at Natsu.

"Are you sure you want to do this one? It could be dangerous." He asked but the pinkette simply grinned at him.

"It wouldn't be fun if it wasn't!" He said cheerfully before running out, shouting to his teammates that they could go on the job. Makarov shook his head in fondness before pulling out a huge book and began to fill out the job details in the mission log. As he filled it out he muttered to himself.

"Have fun on Galuna Island my children and please, come back safe."

 **Haha! You thought that I would start it with the Galuna Island Arc but you were wrong! I wanted to show Natsu in a sort of everyday Fiore housewife sort of thing. :) But seriously, I wanted for Lucy to try and confront Natsu with how he's been acting and what he said in chapter 7. Next chapter will definitely be the start of the next arc and don't worry, Deliora, Ultear, and Lyon will be there including someone else that you will all remember. Ja ne!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chaser IV: Good job on the guesses, all of them were correct! Continue reading and I hope you continue to read and enjoy.**

 **True Red Dragon: To your first question, I think not because Gray needs to grow as a mage and I can't really free her. As to the second one, I think not but I will replace it with something else.**

 **BLstaz: Did you mean Gray? If not then please don't comment anymore.**

 **CLouis94: Unfortunately not because he can't really reverse it, no matter how powerful he's gotten.**

 **DdraigTrueEmperor9: I understand some of your frustration with Lucy but I had people asking for me to make her more OOC and I also needed the story to progress. As to the fight, don't worry, it will be spectacular when it does happen.**

 **Meazm: Yep and hopefully for a long time.**

 **NoyvernFTW: You are right about the three figures and the thing with Ultear, I messed up on that. As to adding that one character, I may do that because I'm not sure how to do this story without him.**

 **WolfGaming: It should happen soon, I'm planning when to incorporate it into the story so it should be soon.**

 **EVERYONE: I have a question to all my readers. Can some of you please give me ideas on what to do with Mystogan? I'm not sure if I should keep him here or leave him in Edolas so please give me some ideas, they would be much appreciated! Also I'm not sure what my posting schedule will be so please bear with me while I sort that out**

"This is so annoying!" Lucy groaned as they trudged down a port. They had traveled to Hargeon by train and while they did that Natsu had explained the mission details. After they had reached the town they immediately began looking for a boat to Galuna Island, which was their problem now. No matter who they went to, or how much they pleaded, everyone they talked to refused to take them to the island.

"That place is cursed!" One fisherman said.

"I wouldn't go there if you paid me a million jewels!" A sailor said.

"We're running out of places to look for help." Gray commented, not noticing that he was missing his shirt, again.

"So, let's just fly there." Happy said shrugging.

"Unlike you cat, we can't fly! And Gray put your clothes on!" Lucy shrieked at them. While the ice mage tried to find his shirt and Happy argued with the blonde, Natsu continued walking..

"Who are you looking for?" Mystogan asked quietly.

"The sailor that took us last time, he should be around here somewhere." The dragon slayer explained without looking behind him. Suddenly he saw a familiar looking man tending to his boat.

"Hey guys, over here!" He said to the others and they followed him over to the man.

"Hey can you take us to Galuna Island?" Natsu asked as they reached him. The man looked up, startled at the sudden question.

That island is cursed, why would you want to go there?" He asked curiously.

"We have a job there to remove the curse that's been placed there." Gray said. The man's eyes widened in surprise before he motioned to his boat.

"Then climb aboard. My name's Bobo and I'll take you to the island." He told them and they exchanged looks before climbing into the boat. Bobo pushed them from the dock and started rowing them out to sea. Natsu opened his book that he had gotten from the duke's mansion and began reading while the others stared at the sailor in confusion.

"Why are you helping us?" Lucy asked. The man was quiet for a moment before he began to talk.

"I used to live on the island, but after some time I couldn't take it anymore and I left." He said as he rowed.

"What's so wrong with the island?" Gray asked.

"Misfortune and tragedy befall anyone who lives on the island, unless you lift the curse." Bobo pulled one of his arms out of his cloak. Instead of a regular arm, it was twisted, and blue, with an armor-like coating. Lucy and Happy gasped while Mystogan and Gray raised an eyebrow. The only one who didn't seem surprised was Natsu, something no one noticed.

"What happened to your arm?" Happy asked in a small voice.

"This is part of the curse of the island, this is the demon's curse." He explained quietly before turning forwards again, ending the conversation. After a couple minutes Happy curled up in Lucy's lap and they fell asleep. Gray and Mystogan remained quiet and watched the water flow by. Suddenly Natsu gasped, waking Lucy and Happy in the process.

"What's wrong with you Pyro?" Gray asked but the dragon slayer ignored him, staring in shock at the book.

"It's impossible…" He muttered to himself. Before anyone could ask him anything else, Bobo spoke up.

"We're here." They all turned to see an island appearing in the distance. It had a massive jungle that stretched all around the island and a giant mountain in the middle.

"What's that?" Lucy asked pointing to the top of the mountain. Everyone could see a bright light glowing from it, as if a spell was being cast.

"That's probably what we have to check out." Gray commented.

"That would be a problem." Mystogan said and they glanced at him.

"Why's that?" Lucy asked and the masked mage pointed behind him.

"Because our driver is gone." He said, saying it as calmly as he would say he had seen a fish. The other looked around and realized that indeed, Bobo had vanished.

"Where did he go?" Lucy asked.

"Hey Pinky, did you see where the old man went?" Gray asked Natsu but he was ignored. The pinkette was scribbling furiously in his notebook as he copied what he had read from his book

"Dragon… demon… change… power…" He muttered to himself.

"Natsu?" Lucy asked. Her voice snapped him out of his mumbling and he glanced up at her.

"Sorry Luce, did you say something?" He asked and she sighed in exasperation.

"We wanted to know if you saw where he went." She told him, pointing to where Bobo had been. Natsu glanced over before shrugging and going back to his book.

"I don't know, I didn't see anything." He said flippantly.

"It doesn't bother you that he's gone?" Mystogan asked and the dragon slayer glanced at him irritably.

"No but that does." He said, pointing behind them. They all turned around to see a massive wave of water looming over them.

"Where did the hell did that come from?" Gray asked.

"What are we going to do?" Lucy asked. Natsu quickly shoved his books into his cloak right as the water smashed into the boat and swept everyone into the sea.

 **-A couple of minutes later-**

"Ugh, I am never doing that again." Natsu muttered to himself. He was walking out of the water and onto the beach while carrying Gray, Happy, and Lucy. He dumped the ice mage on the ground while putting the other two gently on the ground. He took a seat on a rock and checked his pockets. He sighed in relief and pulled out his book.

"At least that didn't get wet." He muttered to himself. He was drawn out of his musings by the sound of footsteps approaching him. He looked up to see Mystogan walking towards him.

"I'm glad you managed to get the others." He said, as if it bothered him.

"You were able to get yourself here, weren't you?" Natsu asked, shrugging. The masked mage ignored his comment and took a seat next to the dragon slayer.

"Where is the village from here?" He asked Natsu who pointed into the woods.

"It should be in that direction somewhere. The mountain where we saw that light is where we need to go to take care of part of the job." He explained. Suddenly they heard a groan. They turned to see Lucy starting to sit up.

"What happened? All I remember was us talking and then…" She trailed off when she saw the two looking at her.

"Hey Luce, how are you feeling?" Natsu asked with a grin.

"Okay, just a little sore. What happened?" She asked.

"We were hit by a massive wave and it swept us off the boat. Natsu brought you and the others onto the island." Mystogan explained. She thought about it for a moment before turning to Natsu.

"And why didn't you help Mystogan too?" She asked with a glare. The dragon slayer shrunk under her gaze and began stammering out excuses.

"H-he's an S-class wizard, he can swim." He said. She stared at him for a moment before suddenly smiling.

"Alright then, let's wake the others!" She said.

"Wake up who?" They all turned to see Gray and Happy getting up as well.

"Hey buddy, how are you feeling?" Natsu asked and Happy frowned.

"Good but I lost all of my fish." He said.

"Now that everyone is awake, we should go to village and find out more about the details of the job." Mystogan stated and the others nodded in agreement. They walked in the direction that Natsu pointed while Gray grumbled to himself.

"How are you doing Gray? Oh I'm doing alright how about you? Good, what should we do now?. Let's go do this job. Great idea Gray, let's go do it!" He muttered.

"What's with you Frosty?" Natsu asked but the ice mage just huffed and looked in the other direction.

"It's nothing you need to care about Pyro." He grumbled.

"Sure, whatever you say Freezer." The pinkette said with a smirk.

"Come on guys, hurry up. I'm not spending one night out here in this jungle!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Yeah, yeah. We're coming Luce!" The dragon slayer said and the two joined the others.

 **-A couple of more minutes later-**

"Are we there yet?" Happy asked.

"For the last time. NO!" Lucy shrieked.

"Actually, we are." Mystogan pointed and the two looked up to see a massive gate looming over them.

"Hey, is anyone there?" Natsu shouted. At first, there wasn't any response, but then two figures poked their heads over the side of the wall. Both of them had cloaks over their heads.

"Who are you?" One of them shouted down.

"We're mages of Fairy Tail and we're here to accept the job you posted." Gray called up. The two cloaked strangers talked amongst themselves.

"If you're really wizards of Fairy Tail then show us your mark!" One of them challenged. All of the mages immediately revealed their marks for the guards to see.

"They've really come, open the gates!" They heard a shout, and the two figures disappeared over the edge of the wall. There was a low rumbling sound and slowly, the gates began to raise. When they were open all the way, the Fairy Tail members went through it and walked to the center of the village, where they saw all of the villagers gathered to meet them.

"Why are they all wearing cloaks?" Lucy whispered to Gray. It was true, not only were the adults wearing cloaks, but so were the children and the infants. The two groups stared at each other for a few moments before the villagers parted to reveal an old man. He limped towards them with the use of a stick and stopped in front of them. Like everyone else, he too wore a cloak over his body that hid his features.

"Thank you for coming to Galuna Island, I'm the chief here. I appreciate your willingness to help us in our time of need." He said with a bow.

"No problem Gramps. So what's bugging you guys so bad?" Natsu asked with a grin. The man frowned and turned to the rest of the village.

"Now my people, show them our true forms!" He shouted and as one, everyone threw off their cloaks. Lucy and Happy gasped in shock while even Gray looked slightly disturbed at what he saw. Natsu and Mystogan simply narrowed their eyes and studied what they were looking at.

Each of the villagers had some sort of mutation on their body. Some, like the chief had their arms twisted into, black, demonic looking limbs. For others, it was their legs or their heads but all of them were changed in some way.

"We are sorry that you have to see this but you need to understand how we are cursed." The old man said. Right as he said that, a purple moon came out from the clouds and the villagers began yelling in pain. As they writhed in pain, they slowly began changing. They all changed color and some grew horns while others had wings unfurl from their backs. After several minutes the villagers stopped changing and the Fairy Tail group stared at the demons in front of them.

"This is what happens when the night comes, we turn into these hideous monsters and it lasts until the morning" The chief explained before motioning to a row of rocks with writing on them. "Some of us can't turn back when the morning comes and they go crazy, attacking their friends and family. We're forced to kill them in order to protect our village." He said with tears pouring down his face.

"You're a fool!" Natsu's shout caused everyone to turn to him. "You killed your own family just because they wouldn't turn back!"

"We didn't have a choice, my own son I had to kill because he went mad." The old man sobbed as he showed them a picture of a very familiar looking man. Lucy gasped in shock.

"But that's impossible we-" She was stopped by Gray who clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Saying that won't help them any. It must have been a ghost that we saw and it wants us to help the village." He hissed to her and she nodded. Both of them missed Natsu's smirk as he listened to what they said.

"What do you want us to do?" Mystogan asked, bringing the conversation back to the main topic. The chief wiped his eyes and nodded in agreement.

"What we need you to do is… DESTROY THE MOON!" He shouted, pointing up to the sky and everyone sweat drop at his actions, even Natsu and Mystogan.

 **-Some time later-**

"The moon looks so pretty." Happy said, gazing up at the purple moon in fascination.

"Happy get away from there! Remember what the chief said about the moon turning us into things like them." Lucy exclaimed and pulled the cat away from the window by his tail.

"It was nice of the old man to give a place to stay the night." Gray admitted as laid down on a bed roll, his shirt missing.

"Yeah it was, hey where's Natsu and Mystogan?" The blonde asked, looking around for the two.

"I think they went off to talk with the chief or something, I'm not sure." The ice mage said with a shrug.

"I hope they're alright." She said worriedly.

"Who's alright?" Natsu asked as he and the masked wizard walked in the hut.

"She was worried about the two of you!" Happy said but the blonde glared at him.

"I was just hoping they didn't run into any trouble." She argued.

"Thank you for your concern Lucy but you do not have to worry about us, we will be fine." Mystogan reassured her and she nodded.

"So Flamethrower, what did the chief have to say?" Gray asked Natsu.

"Well, he told us there was a weird light coming out of the jungle during the night, like we saw earlier. He said that some of the villagers had investigated it and they found a strange temple. Unfortunately, they couldn't get near it so we should probably check it out tomorrow morning." The dragon slayer stated. The ice mage and Happy stared at him in surprise.

"When did you become so smart?" The black haired boy asked.

"Yeah you're usually shouting about fighting so much." The feline added.

"Shut it you two, I've always been smart!" Natsu growled at them but they ignored him.

"We should get some sleep so we're rested for the next day." Mystogan suggested and the others nodded.

"How are we going to sleep though? There's five of us but only three beds." Lucy pointed out.

"Happy and me can just share a bed." Natsu said with a shrug.

"That leaves three people and two beds." Gray pointed out.

"Eh, that's your problem. Night!" The pinkette said cheerfully before diving into his napsack with Happy.

"Jerk." Lucy grumbled but from the sound of the dragon slayers snores, it was obvious he was asleep already.

"So what are we going to do?" Gray asked the others.

"The two of you can have the beds, I'll sleep on the floor." Mystogan answered calmly but Lucy gave him a concerned look.

"Are you sure Mystogan? I don't want you to be uncomfortable." She asked but he just shook his head.

"I'll be fine, some dirt isn't the worse thing I've slept on." He walked over to the wall and laid against it, putting his head on his chest.

"But-" Lucy started to say but Gray cut her off.

"If he says that he's fine then he's fine. Let's just get some sleep." He said before turning over. She looked at him for a moment before turning back to Mystogan. He didn't seem like he was going to move any point in time so she simply sighed and climbed onto her bed roll, attempting to fall asleep.

"ZZZ" Her eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"Snore."

"...Fish…" A vein pulsed on her forehead.

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZ"

"I've had enough!" She hissed to herself, getting up and glaring at the two boys sleeping in next to her. Both of them were sprawled across their mats and were snoring up a storm. Happy was sleeping on Natsu's chest and his tail had kept flicking her across the face, keeping her up along with the snoring.

"Great, what am I going to do until morning?" She asked herself.

"Their snoring can be very annoying at times." She jumped and turned around to see Mystogan watching her.

"Have you even tried to go to sleep?" She asked him but he shook his head.

"One of us has to keep watch." He said.

"But we're safe inside the village." Lucy pointed out.

"Just because we're somewhere that appears safe, that doesn't mean we are. I doubt that we are alone on this island with the villagers. Whatever is causing this isn't natural so it is reasonable to guess that someone is behind this. They could attack at any point in time and it would be best if someone was awake in order to warn the others." He explained. She hummed in agreement and took a seat next to him. They sat in silence for a while before Mystogan spoke up.

"How are you doing with what you found out about your father?" He asked. She glanced at him in surprise before looking away, drawing her knees up to her chest.

"It's hard to believe. I mean I've been gone for so long and he suddenly wants me back? What am I to do?" She asked him.

"Do you hate him?" He asked and she glanced at him in surprise.

"What do you mean?" The blonde asked.

"Do you hate your father for everything that he's done to you?" The masked wizard repeated. She thought about it for a moment before shaking her head.

"I don't like that he hired Phantom Lord to get me back but I don't hate him for what he's done. He probably just wants me back for some arranged marriage." She said with a scowl but he just shook his head.

"You don't realize what will happen from his actions, do you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your friends will be hurt because of simply being in the same guild as you. They will fight with you against Phantom Lord but some of them may lose, and the enemies will show no mercy. I've seen it happen before." He explained angrily, showing any real emotion since the Eisenwald mission. She stared at him for a couple of moments before she said anything.

"What happened?" She asked quietly. For a few minutes he didn't respond, simply staring off into the distance. Right when she thought that he wouldn't say anything, he began talking.

"When I was younger my father was in charge of a… large piece of land and had hundreds of people under his control. The land was special because it had a limited recourse that only came from there. At first it wasn't a problem because everyone was happy and used the recourse without any restraint. After some time the people realized that they would run out of it and they pleaded to my father to help them. Now the recourse was something that they could live without, but everyone thought that a piece of them would die if they lost it. Some of them became corrupted by the thought of losing their lifestyle and it drove them to desperation. My father was one of these consumed by the greed this recourse, this treasure, brought and so he promised that he would do whatever it would take to save the recourse." He said before he paused again.

"Some people objected to it didn't they?" Lucy asked. Mystogan gave her a startled look before chuckling slightly.

"As smart as you are beautiful." He said and she blushed slightly at the compliment.

"Th-thank you." She stammered and he nodded before continuing his story.

"His first act in slowing down the use of the resource was to make several laws that banned certain people from using it. At the time there were guilds that made a living by doing jobs by using the resource. The ki- my father decided that they should be disbanded in order to conserve the use of the resource, of course that didn't go over well with the guilds. They refused to listen to his commands so he sent his soldiers to eliminate the guilds." He said. Lucy gasped in shock but he continued on, as if he needed to get it off his chest.

"I was a young boy then, but even I knew that it was wrong to do that. I confronted my father about it. He didn't even try to explain his actions, instead he disowned me and banned me from ever returning to his lands. Even with what I had said he still continued to eliminate guilds." He finished. Silence filled the hut as the two became lost in thought.

"What was so important?" Lucy suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?" Mystogan asked.

"What was so important that it got people hurt and you disowned by your own father?" She repeated. He frowned at her question and waved his hand in dismissal.

"It doesn't matter." She started to say something but he continued. "What's important is the choice my father made and what you decide about your own father. My father chose to do everything for himself and his own selfish reasons. I saw so many people hurt by what he's done that I can never forgive him. Your own father is doing something similar so I'll ask again, knowing what your father has done and will cause, can you willingly forgive him?" He asked. His words seemed to cause her to go silence, thinking about his question. He gave her space, continuing to look out the window at the moon. Finally, she spoke.

"What you father did is something that hurts so many people, I understand that, but mine, he hasn't hurt anyone. All he's done is ask Phantom Lord to bring me back, something I will never do. He hasn't caused anyone to get hurt yet. If he does then… I'm not sure how I'll feel but I'm sure that I'll take care of him." She said firmly. Before Mystogan could say anything else, they heard Natsu let out a loud yawn and begin to get up. Surprised, the two glanced out the window to see the sun beginning to stream through the window.

"Wow, it's morning already?" Lucy exclaimed in surprise. Her comment caused Natsu to look in their direction.

"Were you two up the whole night?" He asked. His question caused her to form a tick mark.

"With all of your guy's snoring of course I was!" She said, waking up Happy and Gray.

"Geez Lucy, what's got you so upset?" The ice mage asked.

"She's always grumpy, like an old lady." The cat said, rubbing his eyes. A vein pulsed on Lucy's head and she began stalking towards the feline.

"Oh Happy?" She asked sweetly.

"Yes?"

"Who are you calling an old lady?" She questioned. He looked up to see her glaring at him and the flames of hell flickering behind her.

"AHH! Natsu help me!" He cried, flying over to his friend and hiding behind him.

"Why don't we all go for a walk around the island instead of trying to kill each other?" The dragon slayer suggested calmly, pulling Happy out from behind him. Lucy gave the exceed another death glare before sighing in exasperation and nodded in agreement and the others nodded as well.

"Alright let's head out!" Natsu said cheerfully.


	17. Chapter 17

**DdraigTrueEmperor9: You're right that would be pretty funny.**

 **Meazm: Your right on both of your ideas but I feel people will be made at me if I do that to Mystogan.**

 **WolfGaming: Yes I probably am.**

 **NinjaFang1331: Thanks!**

 **Lionheart1200: As in more than one arc? If so do you have any ideas as to how to do that?**

 **Draven32: That is a good idea but what about his father? He will want more and more of it.**

 **Kazuka746: That is a pretty good idea and I may use it. With the second one, that will be perfect for this arc. Your idea is officially in this story, good job thinking that up!**

 **Hello everyone and welcome to another chapter to FTBT! Well the gang's finally on Galuna island, I wonder what will happen? One way to find out, read on!**

"Any idea what we're supposed to be going?" Lucy asked. They were walking through the jungle and so far all they had encountered was the heat and the bugs.

"We trying to reach the middle of the island where that light was that we saw last night." Mystogan explained stoically.

"What light?" Happy asked, flying alongside them.

"The one we saw coming from that mountain when we were on the boat." Gray explained, sweat dropping at the feline's question.

"Oh yeah, why are we doing that again?" The cat asked.

"For the S-class quest buddy!" Natsu said cheerfully, ignoring his friends antics. Suddenly they heard a rumbling sound coming from the left. They all turned to see a massive beast looming over them, it's size blocking out the sun and keeping them from seeing what it was. What they could see was that the creature was taking a deep breath, as if it was about to attack.

" **Ice Make:Shield!** " Gray shouted, slamming his hands into the ground. A massive piece of ice grew out of the ground in front of them. Unfortunately for them, the beast wasn't going to hit them, instead it breathed a cloud of thick air. When the breath reached their noses, the wizards started coughing and wheezing.

"God that's the most disgusting thing I've ever smelled!" Gray managed to say.

"This is why we should always attack instead of putting something lame instead of a shield, agh it's burning my eyes!" Natsu cried.

"Yeah, well I don't see you do anything!" The ice mage replied.

"That's because you can't see anything!" The dragon slayer argued.

"Can someone please deal with this gas?!" Lucy shrieked. Right as she said that, the smoke stopped and someone started laughing. Everyone looked up to see a massive rat wearing a maid's uniform laughing at them.

"...That has to be the strangest creature I have ever seen." Mystogan said after a couple of minutes of silence.

"It's scary!" Happy exclaimed. All of their attention was drawn to a pink blur shooting past them and rushing at the rat.

" **Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!** " Natsu shouted as he collided into the beast with a flaming fist. The blow sent the rat flying back, easily knocked unconscious as it crashed through the trees.

"Well that wasn't too hard." The dragon slayer said with a grin, putting his foot on the beast.

"Not too bad Pinky, I could have taken it out faster though." Gray said with a smirk.

"Yeah, whatever Frosty- Hey a temple!" Natsu exclaimed, running off and making the others sweat drop at his attention span. They followed him and they saw a massive temple that had vines wrapping everywhere. There were dozens of carvings around the base of the temple, all of them depicting moons and other strange symbols.

"What is this place?" Lucy wondered, running her hands on one of the images.

"It looks like this is where the light was coming from last night." Mystogan observed.

"What are you doing Natsu?" Happy asked. Everyone turned to see the dragon slayer stomping on the ground as if he was looking for something.

"Just trying to find where that smell is coming from." He said offhandedly as he gave one more kick to the ground.

"What smell-WOAH!" Lucy screamed as the floor suddenly collapsed. Natsu reacted quickly, grabbing Happy, Gray, and Lucy. He placed the cat on his head and put the others under his arms.

" **Fire Dragon's Claw!** " He called, igniting his feet. He slowed his descent to the point that when he landed on the ground with a light bump. Once he put everyone down, they started recovering.

"Can someone please explain to me what just happened?" Lucy asked, rubbing her head and looking up at the hole.

"What happened was Flamethrower kicked the floor and we all fell down it." The ice mage grumbled.

"Well everyone except Mystogan." Natsu pointed out. They looked around to see that indeed, the masked mage hadn't fallen down with them.

"How were you able to avoid Natsu's accident?" Lucy asked, looking up and seeing the S-class mage at the top of the hole.

"I've learned to deal with his destructive tendencies." Was his simple reply.

"There's no way we can get back up there." Gray stated with a frown.

"All of you stay there, I'll find a way down and join you in a little bit." Mystogan advised, and before they could respond, he was gone.

"Well I guess we'll just hang around down here, right Natsu?" Happy asked his friend. There was no response. The dragon slayer was staring off deeper into the cave, a scowl etched onto his face.

"What's wrong Natsu?" Lucy asked. The pinkette ignored her and started walking into the cave.

"Hey, we're talking to you!" Gray shouted but Natsu kept walking.

"What should we do? Mystogan told us to stay put." The blonde asked.

"Maybe we should follow him so we don't get separated?" Happy suggested.

"Fine, we might as explore more of this place, maybe we can find the exit." The ice mage grumbled. They slowly followed the dragon slayer through the tunnels that seemed to stretch on forever. Every time they turned a corner they expected to reach the end. Instead it went on and on, as if they were in a dark, deep maze, or the belly of a beast.

Finally they began to see light. It was a soft, dull light that shone down the passage and seemed to beckon them forward. The group exchanged glances but Natsu continued forward, causing the others to trudge on after him.

One by one they stepped through the exit and stared at what they saw. There was a variety of reactions. Lucy and Happy were hugging each other in terror. Gray had his fists clenched in rage, and Natsu? Well he looked like he was about to snap.

His eyes were changed and so dilated that they were nothing but tiny slits. His normally cheerful grin was now a wicked sneer that revealed his fangs. He kept clenching and unclenching his fists in anger while he glared at the sight with a hate fueled rage.

"W-What is that?" Lucy asked nervously, too afraid to even move a muscle. In front of them was a giant chunk of ice that somehow wasn't melting from the extreme heat. It almost didn't fit inside the massive cavern that they were in, coming close enough to the roof that it almost touched it. However it wasn't the ice, but what was inside it that caused the mages to react that way. Hidden inside it was a massive demon, almost as big as the ice itself. It was a hulking beast with large arms and thick legs. It had razor sharp teeth, each the size of a person and it's entire body seemed to be made of black rock.

"Tha-That thing is-" Gray began.

"Deliora, the demon of destruction, and one of the demons created by _Zeref_." Natsu finished, hissing out the dark mage's name. Gray turned to him, obviously angry at the dragon slayer.

"How would you know anything about that monster? How could you possibly know about that thing?" The black haired boy demanded. Natsu didn't even spare him a passing glance as he replied.

"I read about him on my trip and-" He began.

"BULLSHIT!" The shout jolted Happy and Lucy out of their fear and they turned to look at the commotion. Gray had grabbed the pinkette by his collar and was glaring at him. Natsu had his hair shadowing his eyes and was looking away from his rival.

"First it was Lullaby and Eisenwald, now it's this! You somehow know everything that's going to happen and always have a plan for it!" The ice mage shouted.

"Gray stop!" Lucy cried but he ignored her and shook Natsu.

"Erza wanted us to stay quiet about it and give you help if you ask for it, but now with this I want answers. How the hell do you know about Deliora!?" He practically screamed. Slowly the dragon slayer turned to look at him. He started to say something but his eyes flickered to Lucy, no, to behind Lucy.

"Someone's coming." He said. Gray ignored him but the other two turned around to see what he was talking about.

"There's three people coming Gray, you need to stop!" Lucy said, pulling on his arm. The ice mage finally turned his head to see three human shaped shadows heading towards them. He stood still for a few moments before he grit his teeth and turned to Natsu.

"This isn't over, you will tell me how you know about Deliora." He hissed, pushing the dragon slayer away from him. If it bothered Natsu, he didn't show it, simply nodding and motioning to the rest of them to follow him. They all hid behind a rock, just as the newcomers came into view. It was easy to say, they were a strange sight.

The shortest one was wearing an all green robe with spiky blue hair. He had his hands tucked behind his back, giving him a calm and collected appearance. The image was set off by his smile, a wicked sneer that made him look very unpleasant. As strange as he was, the man next to him was even wieder.

To start off with, he didn't have a shirt, only a pair of jeans and a collar. His face was like a dog's, with a triangle nose and scruff around his face and he had dog ears that pointed out on top of his head. The third member of their group seemed to be the most normal. She wore a pink and black dress with straps and gloves that went up to her elbows.

"So Toby, have you been in contact with the moon drip? You certainly look different." The shortest member said.

"I've told you already Yuka, it's a fashion statement!" The dog person, Toby, yelled.

"I know, I was just messing with you." Yuka said.

"We should focus on the terrible tragedy that has occurred. Angelica has been attacked while she was trying to protect us." The girl said.

"Nobody cares about your stupid pet rat Sherry!" Toby complained.

"She's not a pet, she's a brave huntress prowling the jungle. She is Love." Sherry said. Over in their hiding spot, the Fairy Tail members were watching them talk.

"I don't know who these guys are but they sure are weird, especially the girl." Lucy commented.

"They're definitely not from the island, they smell too different." Natsu commented.

"And they don't have the curse." Happy commented. They were pulled out of their musings by the newcomers beginning to talk again.

"We have intruders?" Yuka asked.

"Whoever knocked out Angelica most likely came here. We should deal with them before the Cold Emperor finds out." Sherry decided and the others nodded in agreement.

"We need to make sure that they do not interrupt the ceremony tonight to free Deliora." Yuka added.

"Woof!" Toby said as they began to walk away. Once they were gone, the Fairy Tail mages crawled out of their hiding spot.

"Who's the Cold Emperor?" Happy asked.

"Should we follow them?" Lucy suggested apprehensively but Gray shot a look at Natsu.

"We're not going anywhere until you start explaining things Flame Breath." He demanded. The dragon slayer ignored him, walking forward and looking up at the demon.

"Stop ignoring me!" The black haired boy seethed. Natsu glanced at him for a moment before sighing gently. He turned around and sat down on a rock, putting his hands together and putting his chin on them.

"I wasn't ignoring you, I was simply thinking about what to say." He said, internally wincing at how lame it sounded.

"Just tell me what you know about it." Gray said, his face completely blank except for the rage in his eyes.

"Why don't you tell me about it first, I'm sure the others want to know your history and why you are so willing to hurt one of your comrades." Natsu replied calmly.

"Indeed, maybe you should explain your sudden anger towards Natsu." A voice spoke up. Everyone turned to see Mystogan coming towards them from where the three people had come from earlier.

"Mystogan, how did you get down here?" Lucy asked, running over to meet the masked mage.

"I went inside the temple and followed those three as they headed down here. I heard everything they said." He explained calmly, watching Natsu and Gray with a critical eye. The dragon slayer meet his gaze while the ice mage ignored the look he was receiving and choosing instead to glare at Deliora.

"You need to talk some sense into Gray, he's been acting really weird ever since we got in here!" Happy cried.

"You need to explain yourself Gray, why did you become so angry at Natsu?" Mystogan asked, walking over to the two boys.

"It doesn't matter." The black haired mage muttered, causing Natsu to smirk at an inner joke. The S-class wizard noticed it and turned to him.

"And why are you not saying anything? You know that will only make him angrier." He scolded the dragon slayer who scowled in annoyance. Seeing as they had calmed down for the moment he addressed everyone in the room.

"Since whatever event the three were talking about happens tonight, we should stay here until it happens. While we do that we can talk about the current argument you two are having." He suggested, bringing his attention back to the two other males.

"Natsu, explain how you know about Deliora, now." He added when the pinkette glared at him.

"One of the books we borrowed from Duke Everlue's mansion talked about him and several of the other demons." Natsu explained with a sigh.

"You mean the books that 'you' 'stole'!" Lucy said, pointing an accusing finger at him. The dragon slayer shrugged as if it didn't bother him.

"Steal, borrow, it doesn't really matter since that guy is a jerk and hurt a bunch of people." He argued.

"Who cares about some duke that you guys dealt with, I want to know what the book said about Deliora." Gray said angrily. The other two men turned away from each other to look at him.

"It doesn't say much besides giving him a basic description and some history on it. The book did say that no one could control him except for Zeref himself. It talked it about it's history and how it disappeared a couple of years ago." Natsu answered before he pointed at the ice mage. "Now it's your turn, how do you know Deliora?"

"I know him because it took everything from me! That thing destroyed my village and killed my parents! And after that my," He stopped and took a shaky breath before he continued. "My master sacrificed herself to seal that monster inside the ice."

"That's terrible!" Lucy cried. She moved to comfort Gray but he shook off her hand and walked off.

"It doesn't matter now. What's important is that we stop whoever is trying to free Deliora." He said, glaring at the demon. Lucy looked hurt by his action but Mystogan rested a hand on her shoulder. She glanced at him and he just shook his head.

"He's remembering some painful memories, it's just best to let him be for now." He explained gently.

"But shouldn't we comfort him right now?" She asked, worry etched across her face.

"Later we can, but right now he just needs some space." He said as he lead her towards a place to sit. They both sat down next to Natsu and Happy. The cat was munching on a fish while he glanced nervously at Deliora and Gray. The dragon slayer had already seemed to have forgotten what just happened and was continuing to read the book that he had been reading when they were on the boat.

"How did that book not get wet?" Lucy asked, her curiosity distracting her from the giant monster in the room.

"I simply used my flames to turn the water into steam." He said, keeping his eyes on his book.

"Wouldn't it take a couple of minutes for the water to turn to steam?" The blonde, wondered.

"For normal fire yeah, but thankfully mine's hot enough that it turns water into steam almost immediately." He explained with a shrug, as if it wasn't that big a deal while Lucy stared at him in shock.

"How hot is your fire?" She asked in an awed voice. For water to instantly become a gas the temperature would need to be a thousand degrees if not higher!

"I don't know really, Myst and I have never actually tried to find out before." Natsu said, pulling his eyes away from his book long enough to scratch the back of his head sheepishly.

"Actually, we did once." Mystogan said, joining in on the conversation.

"What happened?" Lucy asked, causing the to masked wizard grimace.

"We were supposed to retrieve a treasure that had been stolen from a wealthy family. We tracked it to thieves den where the ringleader had it in an iron safe. Natsu wanted to bust in through the front entrance but I managed to convince him to use stealth instead. Without much trouble, we managed to break into the leaders room where the safe was located." He explained as he cleaned one of his staffs.

"That doesn't seem so bad." The blonde said with a shrug. To her it sounded like their plan had worked pretty well so far.

"It wouldn't have been, if Natsu hadn't gotten the idea to try and break into the safe by melting one of it's sides." The S-class mage added. Lucy gaped in shock at the fact that the dragon slayer's flames were hot enough to melt iron!

"Your flames would have to be a several thousand degrees to melt the metal!" She gasped. To her surprise Mystogan shook his head.

"That's what it would take yes, but unfortunately his fire was even hotter than that. When he tried to melt the iron, his hand passed right through and immediately caused the treasure to burn up." He explained.

"Really, I don't remember that." Natsu said, scratching his chin in thought.

"That's probably because you accidently set fire to the building and we had to fight everyone inside the thieves guild." The man suggested.

"Eh, maybe that's what it was." The dragon slayer said with a shrug before going back to his book. The entire time they had been talking, Lucy was staring at Natsu in shock. She was broken out of her stupor when Happy spoke up.

"Maybe you can use your fire to melt the ice around Deliora!" He suggested cheerfully. The pinkette winced and began to speak. But before he could get a single word out, a shout echoed through the cavern.

"NO!" Everyone turned to see Gray glaring at Natsu. "Don't even think about trying to melt it!" The dragon slayer raised his hands in surrender.

"Don't worry popsicle, I'm not planning on trying anyways." He assured the ice mage. The black haired teen started to say something but he stopped and stared at him in surprise.

"You're not going to even try?" He asked but Natsu shook his head.

"Deliora is obviously a terrible monster and the ice is keeping it at bay so I have no reason to try and melt it, though it sounds like those guys we heard earlier do." He explained with a small smile. Afterwards everyone was left to their own devices. Happy quickly became bored after a few minutes of bugging Lucy so he trotted over to Natsu.

"What are you reading?" He asked innocently, looking up at the cover of the book. He tried to read it but it wasn't in a language he didn't understand. The dragon slayer glanced at him before glancing at the book in his hands.

"Well bud, it's a book about the history of dragons and… some other creatures that lived four-hundred years ago. It tells a lot about what they did back then and some of their magic." He explained.

"Is there anything about Igneel in there?" Lucy asked, looking over his shoulder. She tried to read the book but to her surprise, it was the one that she had found in Duke Everlue's mansion. Natsu watched her look at the book for a while before he answered.

"Yeah, it talks about a massive fight he had a long time ago with someone who wanted to destroy the world. Besides that it didn't mention anything specific about him." He said as he continued to look through the book.

"Someone fought a dragon? Who could be powerful enough to do that?" Mystogan asked as he joined in the conversation. The dragon slayer shrugged in confusion.

"All it says was that they weren't a dragon slayer and they were born from darkness." He explained, pulling out his notebook. He pulled a pencil from the seal in the back and began writing down some things from his book. Seeing he was done with talking, Lucy sat there looking at the demon trapped in the ice. Seeing it's imposing size, looming over her made her extremely nervous but she took relief in the fact that she was with several strong wizards.

'I just wish everyone wasn't so tense.' She thought as she looked around. Gray was in his own corner, obviously thinking about his master and Deliora. Natsu seemed to be curled up inside himself, focusing only on his books and taking some notes. Mystogan was his usual stoic self while Happy was, well, Happy.

'What can I do to help them and make the time go faster?' Lucy wondered as she played with her keys. Suddenly, an idea hit her. She was about to say something but then she stopped.

'With the way Natsu and Gray are right now, they might say no to the idea so I'll just do it.' She decided, clenching her key.

"Open, gate of the harp constellation, Lyra!" She called. In a flash of light a girl with a golden harp appeared, gaining everyone's attention.

"Hi Lucy, it's so great to see you again! You don't summon me often enough." She complained. The blonde sighed at her spirit's antics.

"You're the one that said that I can only summon you three days a month." She argued. Lyra put her finger to chin in thought.

"Really, I don't remember that." She said, thinking back on it. Lucy's attention was diverted when she heard Mystogan clearing her throat.

"Why did you feel the need to summon one of your spirits?" He asked curiously. He hadn't sensed anyone coming so he didn't understand why she had summoned one of her celestial spirits.

"I thought it would be nice to listen to some music while we wait." She explained nervously. He seemed to think about it for a few moments before he nodded.

"It would help us relax." He admitted.

"Music? I can sing a great song!" Lyra said cheerfully. She ran her fingers across the harp and a beautiful melody echoed through the cavern. As she played she began to sing, an amazing song that seemed to encompass everyone with it's words.

To Happy the song quickly became one about fish and he laid down as he entered a daydream of eating them. Lucy closed her eyes and let the music wash over her, feeling all of her problems disappear. Mystogan imagined himself back in Edolas, during the days before his father had craved power. Natsu closed his eyes and he could see a time long ago, when they had been there the first time.

'I had been a lot more foolish back then, maybe I still am.' He thought with a frown. Trying to change everything on his own was hard to do, with everyone always questioning him and everything he was doing. 'At least Mystogan is helping me, I don't think I could do this without him.'

He had only showed it once or twice, but the stress of his mission was starting to get to him. He knew that they were suspecting him, but what was he supposed to do, stop trying to help, or…

'No I can't do that!' He thought, shaking his head. No matter how bad it would get, he wasn't going to endanger them like that. It was between him and Mystogan, no one else, and he was going to keep it that way.

'What am I going to do? Gray, Lucy, Happy, none of them are going to stop asking questions. And Erza, she'll never give up until she finds out the truth, no matter how long it will take.' He thought with a sigh. 'What am I supposed to do?'

Before he could decide anything he heard a choked sob from Gray. He could tell the others could hear him because they looked over in concern.

"Are you alright Gray?" Lucy asked worriedly.

"I'm fine." He replied gruffly.

"Are you crying?" Happy asked innocently.

"Lyra's music does bring out your emotions." The blonde explained.

"You should have told me if you wanted me to sing something happy!" Lyra wined.

"Let's skip the singing for now, we don't want to be found out." Gray said, his normal voice a low monotone. Lucy looked over at Mystogan and Natsu for confirmation. They nodded so she asked Lyra to stop playing music.

 **-Several hours later, or maybe a couple of minutes, who knows-**

Everyone were spread about the cavern, doing there own thing. Lucy and Happy were curled up on the floor, fast asleep. Mystogan was next to them, leaning against a rock with his head bowed. He seemed to be asleep except for the fact that Natsu could hear him shift positions occasionally. Gray sat on a rock, facing the demon trapped in the ice. He hadn't moved the entire time, his head resting on his hands as he had a staring contest with the monster. Natsu had taken a position similar to Mystogan's, leaning against a rock as he continued to write in his notebook.

At first no one noticed it, but Natsu began to notice a pink glow that shone from above. He glanced up before he picked up a rock and chucked it at Mystogan. The masked mage glanced over at him in irritation but the dragon slayer simply motioned at the seal. The S-class wizard looked up and his eyes widened in surprise.

Above him was a massive seal that had appeared at the top of the cavern. It spun about for a few seconds before a large beam of light shot down and hit the ice. When it did, it blasted the cave with a brilliant light. It was so bright that it woke up Lucy and Happy and also gained Gray's attention.

"What is that?" Happy asked.

"I don't know but whatever it is it's melting the ice and that should be impossible!" Gray exclaimed angrily.

"Why's that?" Lucy asked the ice mage.

"Because the spell used, Iced Shell, seals the target into a piece of ice made from the caster's body. I thought that nothing could melt it." He explained, shock evident in his voice.

"We should get to the top of the pyramid as soon as possible so we can figure out what is going on." Mystogan decided, heading towards the exit. The others all followed him to figure out what was going on. All of them left the room except for one. He stayed behind and looked around the cavern. As he did so he sniffed the air and bared his teeth in anger.

"I know you're here, I can smell you even if you try to hide behind your creation. I hope you're ready because this will end soon." He said before leaving to catch up with the others.

For a few minutes, all was still in the cave, except for the light and the ice it shone upon. But then a figure seemed to suddenly appear in the room. He didn't enter the room from the entrance the Fairy Tail mages had used. Instead he seemed to simply fade into the room from a wall of the cavern. After he entered the room he walked over to Deliora and looked at it for a while. After what seemed like an eternity, he placed his hand on the ice.

"I apologise for what I'm about to do but I need to see if he is ready for me. I certainly hope so or this time will be the last." He said gently, a tear trailing down his cheek. A moment later the ice seemed to pulse against his hand, as if fighting back. It disappeared a moment later as something even more powerful encompassed it, something darker, and more chaotic. The figure stepped back as he felt the pulse of power and began to walk away.

"The game has finally begun, and it's your turn Natsu." He said quietly, slowly disappearing in the same manner as he had arrived. All that was left was the light, the ice, and the slow pulses of dark power that was slowly become faster and faster, like a beating heart.

 **Hi guys, just a short message for everyone. We obviously know who stayed behind for a while and who suddenly appeared. Last chapter had a little bit of bonding with Lucy and Mystogan but this one was to move along the story and to show how Natsu is dealing with the pressure of his mission. Thanks for reading and hopefully I will have my next chapter done soon.**

 **P.S: I hate finals! The last week of school is driving me nuts with homework, tests, and dancing. Yes I said dancing. I get distracted so easily that it's impossible to write something without getting side tracked. Sigh, the point is I'm having trouble with the next chapter and it might be late. If it is I'm very sorry.**


	18. Chapter 18

**So a lot of you are probably wondering where I've been. The answer was that I've been a jerk. I was planning on not writing anymore of this story and just letting it sit. But someone changed my mind. Her name is yuzukikuran476 and she was nice enough to comment on every single chapter and send me a PM. So if you want someone to thank, thank her for being an amazing person. Now I'm back, so first things first, the reviews!**

 **Yuzukikuran: Thank you so much for all of the comments you have left me and I wish I could respond to all of them in this chapter. The most I can say is that I have plans for Mystogan, though it might be painful, quite literally. As for his pairing, it is the last one you showed me, with the amount of fanfictions. Also, Team Natsu will probably stay the same as in the anime. I hope you enjoy what I put into the story, and thank you again for reviewing so much.**

 **Arinasution: I don't totally understand your comment but thank you for it.**

 **Pucksabrinadaphne: Thank you for telling me about being nominated! If you could, could you tell me if I got any farther or if I was eliminated, thank you!**

 **Death Kettle: Thank you and I hope you continue to enjoy it.**

 **Doom Marine 54: So i figured that by now she's decided to become a barmaid. Plus it's two months since Natsu came back, not two months since Lisanna died. Also I like your name.**

 **Kazuka 746: Thank you for calling me your favorite author, it means a lot to me. Also I'm sorry if some sentences drop off, that is because I get distracted easily and I stop writing to come back to it a couple of minutes later.**

 **Guest: Thank you and I hope you like this chapter.**

 **NinjaFang1331: Thank you, I wanted to set things up for when I reach the climax of this arc.**

 **Dante23: Gracias!**

 **Meazm: Maybe, I'm not spoiling anything.**

When the group finally managed to get out of the cavern they ran through the pyramid they saw earlier from the outside. They quickly found a set of stairs that led them straight to the top. When they arrived there they quickly hunkered behind a wall when they saw what was in front of them.

There was about three dozen people on top of the pyramid, most of them seemed to be praying to the light. The ones that were praying had purple cloaks and white masks with strange symbols. Besides them, there were only four other people upon the pyramid. Three of them had been the ones they had seen earlier inside the cavern. The fourth one though, was a mystery. He wore a full mask that revealed only his mouth. The eye holes were pitch black and he had two horns coming out of his helmet. He had a long coat that reached his feet and a blue jacket underneath it.

"How are things coming along?" He asked in a bored tone. Beside Natsu, Gray stiffen in surprise.

"Very well, we should be done by the end of the week." Yuka informed him.

"What are they talking about and what's that spell they're using?" Happy wondered.

"It's called moon drip." Lyra explained, popping up in the middle of them.

"Ah! Why are you still here?" Lucy asked, almost screaming at the sudden surprise.

"That's not a nice thing to say." The spirit said, pouting.

"Never mind about that, what's moon drip?" Gray demanded.

"It's an old spell that requires multiple people to use. When there is a full moon they will harness it's power so they can use it to remove a seal. No matter how powerful the spell is to keep something trapped, as long as the moon drip is started above the seal, it can break it." Lyra explained.

"So they want to use it to break the seal keeping Deliora trapped." Natsu summarized.

"They can't do that!" Gray growled. He was just about to charge them but Mystogan's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"We need to think about this rationally. If we go charging in there without a plan someone is going to get hurt." The masked mage told him. The ice mage was about to argue with him but before he could the four in front of them began talking again.

"And what about the intruders that are on the island?" The apparent leader asked. Sherry sighed in disappointment.

"I'm sorry Cold Emperor, we couldn't find them." She explained.

"We do know that they aren't from the island, the villagers most likely hired them." Yuka suggested.

"In that case destroy the village." The masked man ordered, saying as casually as if he was ordering food. In their hiding place, the Fairy Tail mages gasped in shock.

"How could someone do say something like that so easily?" Lucy wondered in horror.

"Some people are just twisted like that." Natsu explained, baring his fangs at the Cold Emperor.

"And others are simply misguided and need to be shown the error of their ways." Mystogan argued, frowning at the dragon slayer's logic.

"What should we do? We need to stop them from destroying the village." Lucy asked.

"We should head back to the village and stop them there. From there we can-" The masked wizard started to explain.

"Lyon!" Gray shouted, drawing the attention of everyone on the pyramid.

"So much for stealth." Natsu said, standing up along with Mystogan. Lucy dismissed Lyra and stood up as well, nervously fingering her whip. The people in the masks and robes continued to use their magic, leaving the four strangers to face the Fairy Tail wizards.

"It seems that the rats have decided to come to us." Yuka said cockily.

"Woof!" Toby said enthusiastically. He and the shorter man stepped forward to fight them but the Cold Emperor raised his hand and stopped them.

"Go destroy the village, I will handle these mages." He ordered. The three nodded and ran off in the direction of the village.

"We need to stop them!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Happy, grab Lucy and take her to the village. You guys need to try and slow them down." Natsu ordered.

"But what about you?" The spirit mage asked worriedly. Mystogan was the one who answered her question.

"We need to try and stop this ritual as soon as possible. We can't have something like Deliora to be freed." He explained. "Now Happy, get going."

"Aye sir!" The exceed flew over and picked up the blonde before heading in the direction of the village.

"Do you think that they'll will be able to defend it?" The masked man asked once they had flown off.

"They should be fine. Besides, we'll be there as soon as we finish up here." Natsu explained as he turned back to watch Gray. Mystogan looked as well to see that the ice mage was having a staring contest with the Cold Emperor.

"Lyon what are you doing?!" He demanded. His opponent smirked at him.

"It's been a long time Gray. So you joined a guild after we went our separate ways, it's good to see you've moved on." He said, taking off his helmet. The black haired boy gasped in shock as the mask fell to the ground.

'I was sure it was him but still seeing him in the flesh…' His thoughts drifted off as he stared as his old rival in shock. He was much older then when Gray had last seen him, but he still had his spiky white hair and cocky smirk.

"What the hell do you think you're doing with Deliora?" Gray asked.

"I hope to achieve my dream by finally surpassing our master." Lyon explained as he motioned towards the spell.

"She's gone, how can you possibly try and do that?"

"By doing what even she could not, by defeating the demon Deliora!" The white haired man shouted.

"You're insane! You'd never be able to defeat something like that!" Gray said, swiping his hand through the air.

"I must, it will be the only way for me to surpass Ur!" Before either of them could argue anymore, Natsu stepped in between them.

"Ok this is getting boring fast so I'll make this quick. We're going to stop this ritual and kick your butt." He said quickly, igniting his hands and facing Lyon.

"Stay out of this Natsu, this is between him and me!" Gray growled at the dragon slayer but the pink haired boy just gave him a passing glance before focusing on his opponent.

"Normally I would say fine but right now, you're too weak to stand up to him. Come back when you're stronger." He said with a dismissive tone. The ice mage scowled at him and pushed him to the side.

"Shut up Flame Brain, this is my fight and I'm going to do this." He said determinedly. Natsu scoffed at his foolishness but he reluctantly let his friend take his place.

'As much as I want to protect him and the others they need to grow. I helped Erza learn and maybe Lucy as well. Gray is going to have to as well and if losing to Lyon is what it takes then he might as well let it happen.' The dragon slayer thought sadly as he turned towards the moon drip ceremony. Mystogan was watching him while he had his internal debate but once he started moving he quickly followed.

"That was a good decision you made. Gray needs to confront his fellow student so he can put his past behind him." He said gently. The pink haired boy sighed and slowly nodded.

"I guess, I just want to keep them safe but I can't do that when they fight me every step of the way." He said sadly.

"When have they actually needed your help in the previous timeline?" The masked mage asked curiously.

"A little, but they mainly took care of themselves. When they did need my help it took all of my power to help them." Natsu explained.

"So if you let them fight on their own they should be fine except for the special times when they actually need your help." Mystogan suggested.

"Yeah but-" The dragon slayer began.

"They were fine the first time, so they will be fine the second. You need to trust them." The S-class mage assured him. At this point they reached the group of people powering the spell.

"Just think about it Natsu, that's all I'm asking." The masked mage said. The pinkette nodded quietly before he focused on the mages.

"Alright everyone, let's close this show down. Just end the spell and no one is going to take a pounding." He told them all but they ignored him and continued their ritual.

"Come on guys, do you really want to free Deliora? The Cold Emperor is going to fail and then that thing will kill everyone on this island. Do you want that to happen? Natsu asked, slightly annoyed. This time, some of the finatics gave him a quick glance before they went back to their work.

"Looks like they aren't going to listen to you." Mystogan said, a hint of humor in his voice. The dragon slayer growled at him before he breathed a small flame of fire into the middle of the group. They scattered and faced against him and the S-class wizard. They stood there for a few moments before one of the masked mages stepped forward.

"Why are you trying to stop us?" The leader asked, the voice of a woman floating through the air.

"Because unleashing a demon like Deliora will only bring more pain and loss. What will you do when the demon breaks free and starts killing all of you?" Natsu asked.

"We trust the Cold Emperor to defeat the monster. That is why we use this spell, so we can have our revenge against the beast." The woman spoke with such authority that the Fairy Tail mages could tell their would be no persuading her. Natsu still tried to convince them again but before he could he saw Gray go flying back from an attack. When he hit the ground and didn't get up again the dragon slayer cursed and turned back to the cult.

"Just know this, we won't stop trying to stop the ritual. But if it breaks free we will be the ones to put it down." He said firmly. He then walked over to Gray and slung him over his shoulder.

"My fight with him isn't over yet!" Lyon called but Natsu waved his hand dismissively.

"He's lost and we both know it. Go back to your evil schemes while we go save the village." He said, turning his back on the Cold Emperor. The white haired boy growled in annoyance while magic formed around his hands.

"Don't turn your back on me!" He shouted as he threw a ice dragon at Natsu. The dragon slayer turned around and, with a flaming punch, smashed the ice sculpture into a million pieces. Lyon stared at the destruction in shock before he locked his eyes with Natsu's.

The pinkette's gaze was a smoldering fire that seemed to burn through him and force him to submit to the other's will. This was someone who had seen things that would make the ice mage whimper in fear and run away in terror. And then Natsu's eyes shifted focus and Lyon found himself able to breath again.

"Like I said, the fight is over." The dragon slayer said, his voice more subdued then earlier. He turned away and, with the masked wizard, he headed down the temple toward the village.

"Should we follow them Cold Emperor?" The leader of the masked cult asked. Lyon stood there for a moment, staring off in the direction that the Fairy Tail members had gone, before he blinked a couple times and spoke to the woman.

"No, they will probably be destroyed along with the rest of the village when Shelly and the others wipe it off the map. You and the others get back to completing the ritual." He ordered. She bowed to him but he was already gone, trying to look as dignified as possible as he ran away.

 **-In the woods-**

Natsu was carrying a still unconscious Gray while Mystogan walked alongside them.

"What happened back there?" The S-class wizard asked quietly. Natsu glanced behind him to make sure Gray was still asleep before he replied.

"Lyon wanted to keep fighting so I made sure he stopped." He replied.

"By making sure that he almost pissed himself?" Mystogan asked with a raised brow. The dragon slayer flinched at his comment.

"I needed him to stop, and… I didn't want to fight him." He admitted quietly.

"Is that because you didn't want to hurt him like you had hurt some of the others that you fought?" The masked mage asked, and this time, Natsu had enough decency to look ashamed.

"It's not only that, when I see him, I remember all of the adventures we had together after this whole island fiasco. We stopped the Oracion Seis, we fought in the Grand Magic Games, and we defended the capital from the dragons. Even though he is trying to free Deliora he has good intentions and I don't want him to die because of my mistakes." He explained sadly, his eyes reflecting the pain he was going through.

"This is why I'm saying you need to stop, every time you kill it's becomes easier and easier for you to do it. Soon killing will become second nature to you and then you will become the same as Zeref. Do you want that to happen?" Mystogan asked but as he expected, Natsu shook his head vigorously.

"Becoming like him, someone who knows nothing but death, that's not a way to live. That's just a cursed existence." He said with a frown.

"Death only leads to more death. You need to think of life as a chance to be your own person, not as someone wants you to be. Everybody can be something special, they just need to be pushed in the right direction. As you said, you don't want to be like him but if you continue down this path of pain and destruction, then you will eventually reach the same point in your life where Zeref has reached, and there is no coming back from that." The S-class mage explained. The dragon slayer nodded and shifted Gray on his back.

"Life is an important thing, but what about the ones who deserve to die? The ones that have killed and tortured, and hurt because they found enjoyment in it, what happens to them?" He asked softly, looking at Mystogan out of the corner of his eye.

"While they may have done some evil things, they don't deserve to die. They need to have a fair trial, and be given the just punishment for their actions. Death is never a way to punish someone who as committed a crime, it's simply a way for them to escape their punishment." He said with a frown. Natsu tilted his head in consideration but before he could decide on anything, he felt Gray stirring on his back.

"W-what's going on?" He slurred as he tried to get up but Natsu held him in place.

"Calm down Frosty, you're safe right now." The dragon slayer said reassuringly. The ice mage blinked at him owlishly before he grasped his head in pain.

"I feel like I've been run over by the magicmobile when Erza was driving." He groaned.

"You did take several hits from the Cold Emperor's attacks, I'm amazed that you're awake so soon." Mystogan complimented. Gray jerked his head to look at him.

"The Cold Emperor, Lyon? Dammit, he really did a number on me didn't he?" He scowled as he thought about what had happened.

"Yeah but next time you'll kick his ass no problem." Natsu said assuredly. His friend stayed quiet, which annoyed the dragon slayer.

"Hey, don't act so depressed Brain Freeze. You need to cheer up and think about when you're going to beat his butt the next time you see him." He said, shaking the ice mage.

"Hey hey stop shaking me!" Gray shouted, grabbing his shoulders. When Natsu stopped the black haired boy sighed sadly. "It's not as easy as you think it is. I did something I shouldn't have and it ended up with my master sacrificing herself. Lyon always wanted to surpass our master, but with her gone he doesn't have anything else in his life. He blames me for taking away our master and his dream, and he's right."

"If he's trying to free Deliora, then he's the one that's wrong. Nothing can excuse what he's trying to do. Unleashing that demon will only lead to people being killed and more families torn apart." The dragon slayer growled angrily.

"That's why we need to stop him as soon as possible." The ice mage said.

"Indeed but first we need to stop his underlings from destroying the village." Mystogan added, pointing in front of them. The other two looked to see the village gates peeking out of the of the trees. The gates were wide open and they could see Lucy with her spirit Virgo and the villagers. For some reason they were all staring at the ground right in front of the entrance.

"Hey Luce we're back!" Natsu called, waving with a free hand. Lucy looked up to see the three of them coming down the path. She smiled at the group and started running towards them.

"Princess wait!" Virgo called, but the warning came too late. With a scream, Lucy fell into her own trap. The three males stopped just outside of her hole and looked down at her rubbing her sore behind.

"Ow! Can someone help me out of here?" She asked, and a moment later a gloved hand reached into the pit. She grabbed it and with a quick tug, she was pulled out of the trap by Mystogan. He wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her close to him to make sure she didn't fall back in.

"Are you alright Lucy?" He asked, worry lacing his voice. With a heavy blush she nodded. She didn't say anything because she couldn't trust her voice at the moment. Natsu rolled his eyes at the cliche anime moment and walked over to the villagers.

"Can someone tend to his injuries please?" He asked, motioning to Gray who was still on his back. Immediately, several of the villagers hurried over and took him from the dragon slayer.

"I'm fine." The ice mage protested but the pinkette shook his head.

"You took a beating from Lyon and you're barely conscious, you need to rest." He argued firmly. Gray started to reply but Natsu quickly buried a fist into his gut, knocking him out.

"Just take it easy, we'll handle it while you heal." He said gently. After the villagers started bandaging the ice mage, he turned back towards his other companions who were still in the same position.

"Happy, you want to take care of this?" He asked his winged friend who grinned and flew over next to the two.

"You like each other!" Happy said loudly and obnoxiously. Lucy immediately turned around and kicked him into the sky.

"Shut up you blue fur ball!" She shouted. She then walked towards the group of villagers, a small blush still on her cheeks. Natsu chuckled at their antics and headed over to his masked friend.

"So how are you doing Mystogan?" He asked with a grin. The older wizard looked at him with a frown.

"I-I'm fine, I was just helping her up." He said, brushing past his friend. It didn't seem possible, but the dragon slayer's smile grew even wider. He had seen what Mystogan had been trying to hide, a slight blush dusting his cheeks. They both joined the group along with Happy who had recovered from the blow he received earlier.

"It's strange that with all the talking and traveling we did that the enemy wizards haven't arrived yet." Mystogan commented, looking around the village. Lucy nodded and put her hand under her chin in a thinking pose.

"Now that you mention it, where are they? I thought they would come through the main gate, that's why I set that trap there." Lucy added. Just as the group started thinking about it one of the villagers pointed up.

"What is that?" They cried and everyone looked up. High above them was a large creature that seemed to be holding a large bucket.

 **-Up in the air-**

"The jelly took longer then I thought it would." Shelly commented, riding up in the air with Yuka and Toby on top of Angelica the rat whose tail was acting as a propeller.

"It worked perfectly, the time it took to make our secret weapon was long enough for the rest of the mages to make it back to the village." Yuka said smugly. Toby barked in agreement behind.

"Woof, let's destroy this village already!" He said with excitement. Shelly patted Angelica's back.

"Alright my angel, it's time." She ordered. The massive rat cried and threw the contents of the bucket into the air. A green goop came flying out of the container where it seemed to float in the sky for a split second before it came hurtling towards the ground.

 **-Down in the village-**

"What the heck is that?" Happy wondered.

"It's double-poison jelly! Everyone get to the middle of the village!" Natsu called, heading towards the center. Mystogan quickly followed him but the others stood still for another precious moment before they began running to the dragon slayer. Everyone crowded in around the middle as the dragon slayer looked up at the liquid falling towards them.

"Come on chief, you need to move!" Natsu's attention was drawn to a few of the villagers trying to pull the chief away from his son's gravestone.

"No I can't let him down again!" The elder cried as he clutched the rock.

"Don't worry about him, I'll keep him safe. Just get to the to the center!" The dragon slayer ordered and the villagers quickly listened, heading off to join the others.

"I'm not going to leave my son's side!" The chief said defiantly but Natsu simply put his hand on the elder's shoulder.

"Don't worry, you don't have to go anywhere." Natsu said gently, lifting his other hand toward the falling jelly.

" **Fire Dragon's Flare!** " He shouted. A massive blast of fire sprang from his hand and shot into the air. As it shot over everyone's head it flew a bit farther before suddenly exploding in all directions. It split apart and shot down, surrounding the group on all sides and blocking their line of sight. Almost everyone huddled as close as they could to the center, almost everyone. The only ones who weren't trying to escape the flames were, Natsu, who was keeping the magic going, the chief who was still hugging his son's gravestone, and Mystogan, who was simply adjusting his staffs.

"Mystogan, why are you not afraid of the fire?" Lucy asked as she tried to keep Happy between her and the flames.

"There's no reason to worry about them, they can't burn us." The masked mage explained.

"Are you absolutely sure?" The blonde asked, hesitantly walking over to stand next to him.

"Here, I'll show you." He said, and before she could react, he stuck his hand inside the flames.

"What are you doing?!" Lucy shrieked, grabbing his arm and pulling it out of the fire. She quickly checked his hand for any burns but it was absolutely fine.

"H-how is that possible?" She asked in astonishment, staring at his hand.

"Since the flames come from Natus' magic he's able to choose what his fire burns. He would never burn his family." He explained.

"He thinks of us as family?" The blonde wondered, looking over at the dragon slayer.

"Everyone in Fairy Tail is part of his family, no matter who they are. He even considers Laxus as a good friend, even though the man despises Natsu." He said with a smile. Lucy stared at him in shock for several moments before turning to stare at the fire. The two of them stood there for a while, listening to the acid rain down and hit against the dome of fire, causing it to hiss and sputter. After a while the sounds died down and Natsu released the magic, allowing the flames to dissolve into the mist that was created from the acid.

Everyone except Natsu and Mystogan gasped when they saw the village, or what was left of it. Instead of the houses and fences they had just seen there was now a giant crater that encircled the group.

"Our village was totally destroyed!" Someone cried in dismay.

"What are we going to do?" Another villager asked but no one could answer.

"It seems that the monsters survived with the mage's help." A voice called out. The group turned to see the three magicians from earlier walking towards them.

"Then there's only one thing to do." Yuka said.

"Destroying all of them, Woof!" Toby barked in agreement.

"All of the villagers need to get out of here now!" Mystogan shouted, swinging his hand out towards the woods.

"You got it!" They shouted, grabbing the chief and an unconscious Gray before hightailing it away from the mages.

"I'm not going to let you get away!" Sherry shouted, running to leap onto Angelica.

"Oh no you don't!" Lucy shouted, chasing after her. The giant rat took off of the ground with her tail spinning, Sherry was on her back… and Lucy was on it's leg.

"How did I end up here!" She cried, flailing as much as she could without falling off. To everyone's surprise Angelica started laughing.

"Oh so you're ticklish huh?" Lucy said with a grin, tickling the rat's foot. For a second nothing happened, then Angelica stopped in midair and began cackling. Of course when she stopped moving she stopped spinning her tail as well.

"No Angelica don't stop!" Sherry shouted but unfortunately her rat didn't listen and began to fall towards the ground, with Lucy and Sherry still on it.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" They screamed as they vanished into the trees. Mystogan, Toby, and Yuka stared in shock while Natsu face palmed. Happy just did his usual goofy smile.

'I can't believe that happened, again!' The dragon slayer shouted in his head. He sighed in exasperation before turning to his friends.

"Happy, take to the sky and see if you can see Lucy. Mystogan go with Happy so when he finds her he can tell you so you three can meet up." He ordered.

"Aye aye!" Happy said, taking off into the sky. Mystogan stayed behind, taking a quick glance at Natsu.

"And what about you?" He asked the pinkette. The dragon slayer gave him a thumbs up and a toothy grin.

"Someone has to keep these other two mages busy." He explained, turning to face the two approaching enemies. Mystogan nodded and ran towards where Lucy had landed.

"You think you can take on the two of us by yourselves?" Yuka wondered with a cocky smirk.

"If it's too much for you to handle, I can fight with one hand behind my back." Natsu taunted.

"You insignificant worm! We're members of Lamia Scale, the same guild as Hard Iron Jura!" Yuka shouted, forming two orbs around his hands. Before he could even react, Natsu shot towards him and grabbed his face.

"But he's not here is he? And you're certainly not him." The dragon slayer sneered, throwing Yuka into the dirt behind him and creating a crater on impact.

"Don't forget about me!" Toby cried, running at Natsu's back with his claws. Right when he reached the pinkette's back the dragon slayer spun around and grabbed each of the dog's arms.

"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you. The short amount of time you'll be awake." Natsu said turning Toby's hands into his chest, shocking him into unconsciousness.

"That was as easy as I remember." Natsu said with a chuckle. He suddenly jumped to the side as a blue orb shot past him. He turned to see Yuka standing up with a blue shield in front of him.

"Stop looking down on us! You may have taken down Toby, but you won't be able to get past my wave motion magic!" He shouted.

" **Fire Dragon's Roar!** " Natsu said, spraying the shield with a blast of white fire. Some of it impacted the shield but most of it spread around it, encircling Yuka.

"It doesn't matter how powerful your magic may be, my own will still protect me." The enemy mage explained, creating a large bubble around him with a hole at the top for air.. Once the pinkette had stopped breathing fire he stood there and watched Yuka.

"Your magic is impressive, I'll give you that. But it still has two glaring weakness'. It can be overwhelmed with brute strength, and you can be trapped by your own magic." He said simply.

"What do you mean by trapped?" Yuka asked as his vision grew blurry. He stumbled a little bit before collapsing into a heap. As he did his magic flickered out and faded out around him. Natsu walked through the fire and stood next to him. Yuka struggled to stand up but all he could do was look up at the dragon slayer.

"What did you do?" He managed to spit out. The pinkette crouched next to him and grabbed some of the flames and showed them to Yuka.

"The fundamental rule about fire is that no matter what color it is, no matter what it's size is, it always controls air. When you created your protection with your magic, it was a smart idea. Unfortunately, the fire that was under you heated the air and sucked it all out of your protective bubble." Natsu explained with a grin. Now that Yuka was breathing air again, he was able to move. He tried to get up but the dragon slayer slammed his fist into the man's head, slamming him back to the ground and knocking him out.

"Sorry but I can't have you getting in my way. After all, I have a meeting to get too and I'd rather not be late." He said, standing up and stretching. He checked to make sure both Toby and Yuka were knocked out before he headed into the woods, putting the fires out as he went.

 **-On the Beach-**

"Angelica, avenge me." Sherry cried out before fainting. A very tired Lucy looked up to see the giant rat falling towards her.

"I thought she was a puppet like the others!" She cried as she struggled to move. Unfortunately she was too tired to move and could only watch as the massive creature descended upon her. Suddenly a blur dashed across her field of vision and past the rat at the same time as a blast of magic hit the side of the mouse. Angelica faltered for several, tense seconds before she finally collapsed into the dirt, crushing Sherry in the process.

"Lucy, are you alright?!" Mystogan asked, sliding down a ledge to reach her. She stood up and turned to him with a scowl.

"What took you so long? I had to fight her all by myself!" She demanded. The masked mage blinked in surprise at her outburst.

"I can't fly like you did so it was hard for me to follow your path." He explained, trying to pacify the blonde. She looked at him suspiciously for a moment before nodding in acceptance.

"Well, at least you're here now, and look, I managed to beat her all by myself!" She said cheerfully. Mystogan stared at her in confusion at her sudden change in emotion but before he could say anything they heard a squeak next to them. The looked to see Erza slowly squeezing the life out of Happy.

"Can someone please explain to me what is going on?" She ground out.

 **I am so sorry! This was supposed to come out even sooner then what I said up top but so many things happened and I apologise for that. School is becoming a real bitch and I'm having to do so much crap, it's insane. I'll try and post as soon as possible but it's going to be hard but I will do it!**

 **Snake out!**


	19. Chapter 19

**NinjaFang1331: Thanks!**

 **Yami-Urami: Yeah Erza doesn't mind abusing Happy. And thank you for the great compliment.**

 **Draconic king: Thank you for the comment, I understand how hard it is to write sometimes. My trick is to write until I have writer's block and then I switch to another story, it keeps me working and makes the story longer. It's just a tip if you want to try it. I'm glad you enjoy the story and I hope you keep reading.**

 **WolfGaming: I do that a lot with stories that only update once a month. Thank you for rereading it and I apologise if my writing was crap then/now. And do not worry I will tell you if I ever plan to abandon it, but I won't be doing that anytime soon.**

 **Shades: Thank you for the great review, I love receiving messages like those. And for Erza, well let's just say she may be the one getting in trouble**

 **Angryhenry: Thank you, and also thank you for not getting angry ;)**

 **DdraigTrueEmperor9: Thank you, I want to try and follow Canon so I don't step outside of people's comfort zones. With MyLu, I have a plan for that. I just hope no one hates me for it. With Natsu's choices, it's going to be a major part of this fic. Hope you enjoy and Happy Holidays to you too. (Even if I'm a little late)**

 **A quick suggestion, if anyone wants to read a good OnePiece time travel fanfic, check out Second Wind by The-Lost-Samurai. A good Bleach time travel fanfic is Second Chance by Gamana. They are very well written and have a great plo. If you like these animes go check them out! If not check them out anyways, you may like what you read.**

 **P.S. I'm sorry if this seems delayed, I was banned from electronics because of a medical problem and yeah… Anyways I'm back so don't worry, I'm A-Okay and ready to keep writing!**

 **P.P.S. I haven't seen you guys since last year! Okay bad joke out of the way, hope you enjoy.**

Everyone was partying and having a good time. They had just beat the dragons and had destroyed the Eclipse Gate, sending future Rogue back to his own time. Now everyone was at the castle, eating and drinking to their hearts content. Natsu had shown up wearing the king's crown but now he was with his friends, relaxing and joking around.

"Hey Freezer, I bet I can eat more than you!" He challenged his rival, who quickly accepted it.

"Bring it on Flamethrower!" Gray said, starting to eat a huge piece of meat. The dragon slayer shouted in protest at the head start before he started to scarf the food down as well. Erza, who was close by, shook her head in exasperation but she had a small smile on her face.

"Those two, they always find a time to continue their rivalry." She said fondly. Next to her, Lucy giggled.

"Those two are more like brothers then they'll ever admit." She added.

"That is what Fairy Tail is about after all, all of us being one big family. And now it seems like we've grown a little bit bigger." Titania explained, looking around at all of the different guilds around them. Each and every one of them were spread around the hall, mixing and mingling with each other. Ichiya and his loyal trio were talking with Bacchus while he was having another drinking contest with Cana, Makarov was chatting with his friends Bob and Yajima, Wendy and Chelia were tasting the desserts, and several girls from different guilds were hanging all over Laxus.

"Yeah, it's nice to see all of us getting along, even after the Grand Magic Games." Lucy said cheerfully.

"We may have been fighting each other earlier, but now that we've fought together, we realised how much we have in common." Erza explained with a smile. As they were talking, Natsu and Gray had finished their eating competition and were relaxing on a couch.

"I totally won this one Toaster." The ice mage said with a grin. The dragon slayer grunted and patted his stomach.

"Whatever Frosty, it's obvious that I ate more." He mumbled, too full to do much else. Suddenly the large doors to the room swung open, causing everyone to turn to see who the newcomer was. Almost everyone simply looked at him in confusion, not recognising the man. The only ones who somewhat knew him, where a few members of Fairy Tail, including Mavis and Natsu. Unlike last time, when he was crying, he now had a small smile as he looked around the room before locking onto his target.

"Hello again, Natsu."

 **-Present Time-**

Natsu shot up, gasping for breath before he turned over and hurled on the ground. He stayed like that for a while, on his hands and knees, as he finished emptying his stomach and tried to catch his breath between each sessions. Finally, after a full minute, he stopped puking and shakily wiped his mouth. He stood up and stared at his shaking hands.

'What was that?' He wondered. He hadn't had a nightmare like that since after he had started traveling with Mystogan. It had troubled him for a while but soon it had just disappeared and he was able to sleep peacefully.

'Whatever that was, I can't let it stop me. I need to hurry up and get to the temple.' He told himself, clenching his hands until they were settled. After that he continued on his way to the structure, trying to push the nightmare out of his mind.

 **-In the Village-**

Gray gasped as he shot up, wide awake and adrenalin pumping. Once he had evened out his breathing he looked around. He was in a small tent with several boxes and other assorted items. The only thing that kept him from touching the floor was a small roll with a blanket to cover him.

"What the hell happened? How did I get here?" He wondered, moving to get up. When he did he grabbed his stomach in pain and let loose a soft groan.

"Damnit Natsu." He muttered as the memories of last night came to him. Finding Deliora and reuniting with Lyon just for the silver haired boy to beat him down. Then Natsu carried him like a sack just to knock him out when they saw Lyon's minions destroy the village.

"It they destroyed the village, then where am I now?" He asked himself as he stood up. He ignored his body complaining about the movement and walked outside. After his eyes adjusted he found himself outside surrounded by tents and villagers hurrying around. As he looked around, a woman walked up to him. She was very beautiful except that she had a blue leg with several spikes.

"I'm glad to see your awake." She said with a friendly smile.

"Where are we?" He asked, looking around some more in confusion.

"We're at a storage site a bit of away from the village. We don't think that the other mages know about this site so we should be safe here." She explained.

"The enemy mages, what happened to them?" He asked, twisting around to look for them but he just aggravated his wounds, making him wince. She apparently didn't notice and continued to answer his question.

"Your friends were super amazing and managed to defeat all of them. Speaking of which, they said they were waiting for you in that tent over there." She said, pointing to a small tent in the distance. Gray thanked her and walked over to the small structure.

"What are you guys doing in he-" He immediately regretted his decision of walking inside when he saw the occupants, more specifically, occupant.

"Hello Gray, we've been waiting for you to wake up." Erza "Titania" Scarlet announced, sitting on a box and glaring at the ice mage. He was too afraid to look away but in the corner of his eye he could see Happy, Mystogan, and Lucy at the wall of the tent. Lucy and Happy were glancing between the two nervously. Mystogan simply looked annoyed at being stuck there.

"E-Erza what are you doing here?" The ice mage asked nervously. It made no sense for her to be here, but if she was then it must mean there were in trouble.

"I'm here to bring you back to the guild. What were you thinking, going on an S-class quest before you were ready?" She demanded. Gray tried to stammer out an excuse but Mystogan decided to help him.

"Give it a break Erza, we've already been over the fact that the master gave them permission to go on this quest." He explained with a sigh. Lucy nodded furiously and Happy added an 'aye'. To Gray's surprise, the redhead started blushing a light crimson.

"W-well, I just had to make sure by hearing it from Gray himself." She stammered out. As much as the ice mage wanted to ask about her suddenly blushing, something else was more important, plus he was sure that Erza would beat the crap out of him if he asked.

"Why did you think we came here without permission? We asked the master in front of the entire guild." He explained. As he spoke the redhead gained an even deeper blush.

"When I arrived back at the guild, Mira told me how the four of you went on the S-class quest and I immediately headed off to stop you. She didn't say anything when I left." She defended herself.

"But she never said we were in trouble, did she?" Mystogan pointed out. Erza didn't respond, choosing to look away from him instead. There was a few awkward moments inside the tent before someone decided to speak up.

"T-That means we're okay, right? You won't drag us back to the guild?" Lucy stammered out. Titania turned to face her and the blonde let out an 'eep'.

"No, I have no reason to bring you back since you have the master's permission. While I'm here I might as well help you with your job." She said calmly.

"W-What? But this is our S-class quest, and we already have an S-class mage!" Gray sputtered indignantly. He quickly shut up when Erza leveled him with a glare.

"Stop acting like a child Gray, This is Natsu's S-class quest and you are not completely ready for it so I'm here to help. As for having another S-class mage," She glanced at Mystogan for a moment before she continued talking. "You can never be too prepared, and having another mage to help you will only help."

While they talked, Mystogan narrowed his eyes as he stared at Erza. She was obviously still upset about the train station and their argument.

'She may trust Natsu, but she's still cautious around me. I'm a stranger to her, a loose cannon for all she knows. She needs to learn to trust me in more then just battle.' He mused to himself. She gladly allowed him to fight by her side but they didn't really talk outside of fighting. She also didn't even trust him with her friends.

'No, our friends.' He reminded himself. Before he could start following that train of thought, Lucy's voice cut through his musings.

"Speaking of the S-class quest, where's Natsu?" She wondered. There was a pause from Erza and Gray as Happy spoke up.

"Last time I saw him was when he told us to go after Lucy." He said thoughtfully.

"He's probably at the temple right now, wrecking it." Mystogan suggested.

"We can't let him do it by himself!" Gray stated, heading for the exit. Before he could reach it, Erza clamped a gloved hand onto his shoulder.

"You're not going anywhere but back to bed. You're too injured to be of any help to us and you should just rest and gather your strength." She commanded. Instead of listening, the ice mage turned and glared at her.

"I'm sure the others have told you what happened. I need to stop Lyon from destroying the villager's home!" He exclaimed.

"Yes but we can handle it on our own, you resting is the most important thing you can do." Erza argued.

"You think that having me rest is the best thing for me, but you don't care about what I think will be best for me. Honestly, that's all you ever think about, your responsibility of trying to keep us safe and out of harm's way. What you don't realise is that we have our own responsibilities as well, to ourselves and to Fairy Tail. Right now it's my responsibility as my master's only other apprentice to teach Lyon why he's wrong and no one will stop me, no one." He declared, shrugging off her hand and exiting the tent. Lucy looked at Erza nervously. She was glaring at the tent flap where the ice mage had left as if she was hoping that it would catch fire. Behind her Mystogan sighed and stood up.

"We should probably follow him to make sure he doesn't get himself killed." He pointed out as he headed for the exit. He stopped as he lifted the flap and turned to Erza.

"He's right you know, you should pay attention to what the others want, not what you think they need." He continued before he left the tent, letting the flap close behind him. The room was quiet for a few moments before the exceed spoke up.

"If we all head to the temple together, we can also find Natsu faster." Happy said, flying out of the room. Lucy looked at the exit before turning to the red head.

"Are you okay Erza?" She asked worriedly. Titania slowly nodded but she seemed to be lost in thought.

"It seems Natsu is not the only one who's grown up over the two years he was gone." She muttered to herself.

"What is it?" The blonde asked, confused. Erza looked at her in surprise and shook her head.

"It's nothing, just thinking about some things. Come on, we should catch up with the others." She said, motioning towards the exit. The two of them left the tent and headed out of the village camp to catch up with the others.

 **-Back at the Temple-**

"So you're the only one who made it back." The Cold Emperor said, looking down at Toby. The dog-man rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Yeah.. Can we not mention how I was knocked out?" He asked.

"With the rate at which they are taking everybody down, Deliora's resurrection will be in jeopardy." A mysterious man said, walking up to the others. He was a shorter man, with wild green hair and a strange tribal mask on his face, obscuring his face.

"Zalty, as stealthy as always." Lyon said, turning to the masked man.

"With how powerful Titania and… Salamander are, you will be hard pressed to defend the ceremony." The masked man said with a pause.

"You sound as if you have dealt with the dragon slayer before." Lyon commented with a raised eyebrow. To his surprise, Zalty slightly flinched at his comment.

"I've… spoken with him once before, he is not someone to be trifled with. I think even you will have trouble with him." The green haired man said hesitantly. Lyon started to deny it, but then he remembered what had happened the night before when Natsu had simply looked at him and had scared him half to death, not to mention how he swatted away the ice attack that was thrown at him.

"Maybe.. Since you have met with him before, I would like for you to deal with him." The white haired mage said as casually as possible. Zalty stared at him but before he could complain, Toby decided to but in.

"I didn't know you can do magic." The dog-like person exclaimed. The masked man glanced at him in what Lyon thought was annoyance before he responded.

"Yes, I study a form of lost magic. It is very powerful and useful in a fight." He explained.

"We can use every mage we can get to finish the ritual and delay the Fairy Tail mages." Lyon decided.

"Indeed and then you can have your-" He was cut off by a sudden rumble coming from underneath them.

"What is that, an earthquake?" Toby asked as he looked around.

"No, this is something else." Zalty responded.

 **-Down Below-**

"I may have overdone it a bit." Natsu said sheepishly as he looked at the destruction he caused. He had meant to destroy the pillars one at a time like he had last time, but he had accidently destroyed all of them in one blow. The temple had quickly sunk into the ground at an angle, preventing the moon drip from reaching Deliora.

"Now to really start this party." He said, taking a deep breath and aiming at the ceiling.

 **-Back up Top-**

Lyon and his followers stepped back as a massive column of white fire shot out of the floor and through the roof.

"It's the Salamander!" Zalty cried as the flames died out. Lyon and Toby walked over to the newly made hole and looked down. A second later they backpedalled as the dragon slayer jettisoned up to their floor with fire propelled fists. He landed on the ground and grinned at the group.

"Hey everybody, miss me?" He said.

"I'll beat you now!" Toby cried, leaping at the pinkette. Unfortunately for him, Natsu simply smacked him across the room and into a wall. Lyon stepped up next, letting his cloak fall onto the floor behind him.

"Last time we didn't have time to fight, but now I will defeat you and finish the restoration of Deliora." He said confidently as he gathered magic into his hands.

"While the offer is tempting it's not my place to fight you. You're just going to have to wait for Gray to show up." Natsu said dismissively.

"What?! That weakling lost just last night! There's no chance in hell he's in any shape to face me, not to mention beating me." The white haired mage growled in annoyance.

"You shouldn't count him out just yet, in fact, he's on his way right now." The dragon slayer said seriously, losing his grin.

"And how could you possibly know that?" Lyon snapped, throwing an ice dragon at him. The beast flew across the room to take a massive bite out of it's enemy. The pinkette simply started talking as he watched the lizard approach.

"I know because I understand Gray. I've known him for almost my entire life and I know exactly what he is going to do. You may have beaten him, you may have knocked him unconscious, but he won't give up that easily. Once he wakes up, he's going to come right back to this temple, find you, and kick your ass because he's a Fairy Tail mage and we never give up!" He said proudly, punching the dragon's face, shattering it into thousands of tiny shards.

 **-Outside the Temple-**

Mystogan, Happy, and Gray were standing in a small clearing, surrounded by dozens of the masked people. They were holding a wide variety of weapons, but they weren't attacking yet. The leader of the group stepped forward and pointed at the Fairy Tail mages.

"We cannot allow you to stop the ceremony. Leave or we will use force." She threatened.

"My apologies but we can't leave. We must find our friend and finish our quest." Mystogan said politely, pulling one of his staffs off of his back.

"Then you leave us no choice." She said and the cultists charged the three. A fight quickly broke out with the Fairy Tail mages staying together in the center.

"We don't have time for this! We need to stop Lyon from reviving Deliora!" Gray said irritably, unleashing his magic on several enemies, freezing several and knocking out several others.

"You go on ahead, we'll hold them off." The masked mage replied, redirecting several magic blasts.

"You may be an S-class mage but I doubt you can hold all of them off by yourself." The black haired man said with a raised eyebrow. Suddenly an arc of wind cut through a group while a red flash swept through another, cutting their weapons, clothes… and hair?

"Don't worry, we'll help him!" Lucy said, running up with Erza. Cancer soon joined their group, scissors flashing in the light.

"You go on ahead Gray, we'll keep them busy." The redhead offered as they joined the fight. The ice mage stared at them in shock before nodding in thanks. He blasted a path through the cultists and headed to the temple. Some tried to stop him but Erza and Mystogan quickly knocked them out. While they covered Gray, Lucy, Cancer, and Happy fought off the rest of the enemies trying to attack from behind.

 **-Back Inside the Temple-**

"Just stay still!" Lyon shouted, sending his ice birds at Natsu who simply ducked and weaved, avoiding all of the constructs.

"You really shouldn't waste all of your magic power, it's just going to give Gray an easier time of beating the crap out of you." The dragon slayer said as he avoided a bird that was trying to hit him from behind.

"Would you like some assistance Cold Emperor?" Zalty asked innocently. Lyon glared at him before scoffing.

"I can handle one insignificant speck." He said confidently. His underling shrugged in resigned acceptance.

"Alright if that's what you want, I'll go and fix the mess Salamander caused." He said, jumping in the hole the pinkette had caused. Natsu shot a blast of fire at the masked man but all he managed to do was singe the man's cloak before he disappeared in the hole.

"Your fight's still with me dragon slayer!" Lyon cried, throwing an ice tiger at the pinkette. Natsu sighed before turning around and inhaling a deep breath.

" **Fire Dragon's Roar!** " He called, unleashing a bellow of white hot flames that swiftly melted the beast into a puddle of water.

"H-how? How are you so much stronger than I am?" Lyon demanded. No matter what he did, nothing seemed to even phase the dragon slayer.

"Several years of training and a level of strength that you can't even hope to compete with." Natsu said with a cocky smirk. The white haired man growled in annoyance but before he could do anything, the two of them heard a shout.

"Lyon!" Gray shouted as he ran in. He stopped when he saw the situation.

"What are you doing here Natsu?" He demanded. Lyon was his problem and Natsu knew that! The dragon slayer shrugged and backed up.

"I was just waiting for you and Lyon wanted to fight me. But now that you're here he's all yours!" He said cheerfully. Gray blinked in surprise at the comment. It definitely seemed true enough, neither of them had a scratch on them, and the only signs of any fighting was several pools of water and… a hole in the floor.

Before he could say anything else, the ground began to once more shake and rumble. After a few moments it stopped and as the ice mage watched, a masked man he had never seen before jumped out of the hole in the ground before it repaired itself behind him.

"Cold Emperor, I was able to restore the temple so the resurrection of Deliora can commence." The stranger said with a grin.

"More of your tricks I assume?" Lyon asked dryly. The man simple chuckled before he headed off into the temple.

"Natsu, this is just between Lyon and I. Can you go chase after the other guy?" Gray asked as he crossed his arms over each other, preparing to use Iced Shell on Lyon. To his surprise the dragon slayer sighed before walking over and punching the ice mage in the head.

"Ow! What the hell Natsu?" Gray demanded as he rubbed his head.

"You think that you can just tell me to move along while you go and sacrifice yourself? What do you think I am, an idiot?" Natsu retorted. The ice mage paused and looked at his friend in surprise. The dragon slayer had his body planted like he was ready for an argument, but Gray could see a pained expression on his face, as if he had seen this happen already.

'He probably did, with all of the friends that he lost before coming to Fairy Tail.' The black haired teen realized. Slowly, he straightened and looked Natsu in the eyes.

"I'm sorry for scaring you, I promise I won't sacrifice myself for something foolish." He swore. The dragon slayer looked at him in shock for a moment before scoffing and looking away.

"I wasn't scared." He muttered before running off. Gray gave a small chuckle before turning to his former training partner.

"Now Lyon, let's end this!" The black haired man called, settling into his fighting stance.

"Indeed, I'll defeat you and then Deliora!" Lyon said, summoning another ice tiger.

 **-Outside the Temple-**

The battle with the cultists had ended rather swiftly. With the arrival of Erza and Lucy, Mystogan and Happy had quickly beat down the masked enemies. Now most of them were on the ground, either unconscious or laid out, groaning in pain.

"Now that that's over with, let's go help Gray." Erza commanded. Her and the others turned to head into the temple.

"Wait!" A familiar voice called. The Fairy Tail mages whirled around, everyone reaching for their weapons. In front of them was an elderly lady being supported by a similar looking man. Both Erza and Mystogan blinked in recognition.

"That headpiece, you're from the city of Brago." The redhead said quietly.

"Where is that? I've never heard of it." Lucy asked.

"It was a city destroyed by Deliora several years ago, right before it disappeared." Mystogan answered with a frown.

"Yes, after that demon's attack we had nothing. It had taken our home, our family, and everything we cared about, so when the Cold Emperor came to us and said he would kill the foul beast, we immediately agreed." The women explained somberly.

"And you never thought that what you were doing was wrong?" Erza demanded. At her question the elderly lady straightened and fixed the redhead with a steely glare.

"When it comes to revenge, as long as you achieve your goal, it never matters what is right or wrong. I'm sure you know what it's like to want power for revenge for your loved ones." She said angrily. Erza's jaw clicked shut as she remembered an old man, sacrificing himself to save her, and the rage she had felt at his death.

"No matter the situation, revenge is never the answer. It only destroys everyone involved." Mystogan interjected.

"We trust the Cold Emperor to kill the demon and claim our revenge." The old women said firmly. The masked mage shook his head and turned away from her, walking towards the temple.

"We've wasted enough time as it is, we need to make sure they can't revive Deliora." He ordered, Happy and Lucy quickly falling in line behind him. Erza stared for a moment, muttering. "I'm supposed to be in charge." Before she hurried off to catch up with her friends.

 **-Inside the Temple-**

Zalty was swiftly running through the many corridors of the temple, with Natsu having caught up to him several minutes ago.

"Hehehe, you're not even trying to catch me Salamander." The masked man said, using his magic to throw a piece of rubble at the dragon slayer. The pinkette easily jumped over the debris, shrugging as he did so.

"I could try and catch you but that would just be annoying for both of us. The sooner we arrive to wherever you're leading me, the faster we can get this done with." He explained reasonably. Zalty grunted in reply before speeding up, seemingly agreeing with him. Soon they reached Deliora's chamber. The massive ice block had turned a purple hue as the Moon Drip ceremony melted the ice. Zalty jumped on a rock and looked up at the demon.

"Soon Deliora will be free, it will be quite a show. Don't you think Salamander?" He asked the dragon slayer who had also stopped to watch the ceremony, a scowl on his face. At the question, he gained a thoughtful expression.

"I don't know, a half dead demon isn't going to do much damage." He said with a shrug. The masked man raised an eyebrow, something Natsu couldn't see.

"Oh, why do you say that?" He asked curiously. The pinkette shrugged again.

"The spell used to seal him was Iced Shell, something that uses the caster's soul. If the caster wanted to kill Deliora they could use their soul to extinguish his." He explained. Zalty just stared at him in shock. His master had theorized that Deliora would be weakened after spending so long in the ice, but dead? It seemed impossible but what the dragon slayer said made perfect sense, and Ur had definitely been powerful enough to do it. Pushing it from his mind for the moment, Zalty pulled his orb from the time stream and smirked at the pinkette.

"Either way, you're most likely planning on stopping the ceremony. I can't allow that, so we are going to fight, here and now." He said challengingly. Natsu looked at him for a moment before looking back up to the ceiling, as gauging something. Finally he shrugged and turned to Zalty, igniting his fists.

"Alright, I'll fight you but only if you go all out. I always love a challenge." He said, letting his claws and fangs extend as he entered dragon force. The green haired man thought about it for a moment before nodding.

"It would be nice to have a full fight without having to hold back." He decided, letting the ball spin around him.

The two of them stood there, staring off against each other both waiting for a signal to start. Suddenly, a rumble shook through the temple, causing dust to fall from the roof. When the dirt hit the ground, Natsu launched himself at Zalty. The masked man jumped backwards, throwing his orb at his opponent. The dragon slayer punched the ball, shattering it into hundreds of shards, but as he went passed it the ball reformed and threw itself at his back. At the last second he backflipped over the orb, letting it sail past him as he drug a hand across it. He landed, launching a brightly colored breath attack at Zalty. The man leaped to the side and the rainbow fire roared past him, exploding against a wall.

"You don't seem that surprised about my orb repairing itself." Zalty commented, throwing the ball once more. Natsu ducked under it, letting it whiz past his head before turning around and kicking a second one that had seemingly come out of nowhere. When he looked up again he saw a dozen orbs circling him. He sighed before pulling his staff off of his back and slamming it into the ground.

" **Fire Dragon's Eruption!"** The explosion went off in a circle around him, breaking most of the orbs and hiding him in a cloud of smoke.

"That's a pretty pathetic hiding spot, I expected more from you Salamander." Zalty sighed in disappointment. He surrounded the smoke with his lacrimas and, with a pull of his magic, sent them all shooting into the cloud. For a few moments nothing happened except for the orbs flying out of the smoke and rocketing back in.

Zalty frowned as he suddenly felt him lose connection with the main orb, the one from this time. He tried to pull it towards him but it was unreachable, as if it wasn't even there. As the smoke dissipated the masked man could see Natsu holding the orb he was trying to reach, a blue fire burning around it. With a flick of his wrist, the green haired man threw the remaining lacrimas at the dragon slayer, though he noticed that several of them had seemingly disappeared. The pinkette quickly abandoned his position, and the orb, leaping into the air and watching as the orbs flew under him.

The masked man used the lacrimas to herd the dragon slayer away from the main orb. As he was busy destroying them and knocking them away with his staff, Zalty walked over and picked it up. He looked at it for a moment, trying to understand what had happened. The only thing that she could see was that it had a long, shallow scratch across it. He gave one more attempt at moving it with magic. When that failed he pocketed it and turned back to Natsu.

"I don't know what you did, but if you think that the orb is my only weapon then you're wrong." He said, calling on a sword that shot towards the dragon slayer. The pinkette leaned to the side, hearing the blade whistle past his neck. It stabbed into the wall behind him and stuck there quivering. Before Zalty could call it back, Natsu leaped at him.

" **Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"** He called, punching Zalty's mask. With a loud crack, the green haired man was sent flying across the cavern. He managed to find his balance before he hit the opposite wall, sliding across the floor to a stop. When he stood up, he was clutching his mask as several small shards fell between his fingers.

"It seems you've won this fight Salamander, but I've won the battle." Zalty said with a grin before disappearing. Natsu remained in a fighting stance, sniffing the air. Once he was sure that his enemy had truly left, he straightened and turned towards Deliora. He walked up to the massive demon and looked at it through the ice. He was silent for several minutes, simply staring at the great beast before him.

"When I first came back to this timeline, all I cared about was becoming stronger. But when Mystogan took me to train I started wondering, what happened to you? Did you remember everything that happened or were you still stuck on the island? It bothered me for the longest time, but then I realized that it didn't matter. Either way I would still find you and end you. But that's what you've always wanted, isn't it Zeref?" He asked, turning around. In front of him stood the dark wizard, a small satisfied smile on his face.

 **I want your guys opinion on something. I was looking back and I noticed how bad my writing was at times, especially the beginning, and several continuity errors I had made. Those mistakes made me think about going back and fixing them but you definitely want me to keep writing, right? Leave a review on what you want me to do; keep writing and go back later, edit and write which might make my posting time slower, or stop and edit everything.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Guest: While that would be funny, I don't know if I can put it in the story.**

 **WolfGaming: Okay thanks for the input!**

 **The Legend of Zelda Fangirl and Mylax: I don't know if you are still reading but if you are, I changed the person that you guessed it is. I'm sorry for the change but it was needed for the plot.**

 **DdraigTrueEmperor9: Thank you for the great review. For the first part with identities, he knows about Zalty and he'll deal with her later. With dragon force, Natsu has become powerful enough that he can go into it without a significant loss in energy. It's like Ichigo's mask in Bleach, the more he uses it the easier it is for him to enter it the next time. During the two years he was away, he used it so many times that now, it barely takes any energy to activate it. Also, thank you ten times over for not hating my Lucy and Jellal parring. I understand the hate of Mystogan though I always did see him as a different person. And in the beginning, Lucy was… annoying, to say the least though she gets better later on. One of the other reviewers said that he wanted her to be like she was in the Grand Magic Games so I'm trying to make her like that. As for your english, it is very impressive. What is your native language, if you don't mind me asking?**

 **Kazuka746: Happy New Year to you as well. I would like the readers to choose about what I should do since I am writing for them. I did watch the first few episodes for HOTD but I really never got into it. I will put the title up for others if they are interested. Until next time!**

 **Angryhenry:I like your name and how you created it. I hope you are enjoying the story**

 **Reapingdemon: Thank you for the kind words, I really appreciate it. I'm sorry if I am sometimes disorganised in my writing or if I post late. I hope you enjoy what I have planned for the future. You friend, D.**

 **NinjaFang1331: Thank you. Also, you my friend are a fast reader!**

 **Meazm: That was a strange way of phrasing that, it almost sounded like you were threatening me. But I try and follow my reader's desires so there will be some coming up.**

 **Phantomsoul2015: Thanks for your answer but what do you mean by better quality.**

 **Draconic king:No problem about the tip, I hope it serves you well. I also hope you enjoy this new chapter!**

 **Nbuns1: Your right on your guesses, good job and thank you**

 **Kazuka746 gave me a HOTD time travel story so I decided to share it with you. It's called Time Trax of the DEAD. They say it's very popular so, if you like HOTD, you should give it a chance.**

 **The votes so far for editing or continuing are like this:**

 **Continue:2**

 **Edit:1**

 **Both:1**

The two men stared at each other, the light of the Moon Drip casting a purple glow on their figures. Natsu's entire body was stiff as a board as he glared at Zeref. In retrospect, the dark mage was calm and composed as he looked on at Natsu, as if evaluating him.

"I'm amazed that you were able to tell the differences between Deliora's scent and my own." Zeref said calmly, walking past Natsu to look at the demon.

"It was very simple to do, Deliora smells like blood and ice while you smell of nothing but death." The dragon slayer explained with a scowl, turning to keep the dark mage in his sight.

"Yes Deliora always did love crushing his stronger foes while my methods have always been more, abrupt." He said, putting his hand on the ice.

"What are you doing here _Zeref_?" Natsu asked, spitting out his name. "Do you want me to kill you already, before we've even had the Grand Magic Games or I've at least reached Tenrou Island?" To his surprise, Zeref let out a small chuckle.

"No, I'm not ready for it just yet. With what happened last time we met, I need to make sure you're ready for when we have the final confrontation." He explained, turning to Natsu.

"And how are you going to do that? Deliora is nothing but an empty shell now. I'm sure you know that the Iced Shell has been sapping him of his strength for the past decade." The pinkette argued. The dark wizard shook his head, smiling all the while.

"I'm disappointed in you Natsu, I thought you would be able to feel what was happening right in front of you." He said gently, as if he was explaining something to a toddler. Natsu glared at him before he began focusing on their surroundings. At first he didn't notice anything, but then he heard it. The quiet, almost unnoticeable, sound of ice cracking. When he peered closely at the frozen tomb he could see several, hair-like fractures running throughout the ice. As he watched he could see them slowly becoming longer and thicker as time went on.

"What did you do?!" The dragon slayer asked in horror.

"The women who had cast the Iced Shell was a very impressive mage. It took me longer than I had anticipated to remove her seal and give Deliora his power back. With the help of the Moon Drip, he's finally recovered enough to break free." Zeref explained calmly. As he spoke the top of the frozen tomb exploded, releasing Deliora's head.

" **ROOOOOOOOAR!"** A primal cry blasted out of the demon's throat and shook the cavern. Pieces of rock and ice fell to the ground and smashed, sending shrapnel flying everywhere. Natsu and Zeref ignored the projectiles whizzing past them, both of them staring at each other.

"Tell me something Natsu, do you fear me?" Zeref asked. The dragon slayer shook his head, almost sadly, before replying.

"No, I have no reason to fear you." His hands balled into fists as he glared at his enemy. "I hate you. I hate you with every fiber of my body. I hate you for what you are, for what you want from me, and for what you did to me and my family. I will never forgive you Zeref and I will always hate you, until the day I die." He declared, igniting his entire body. Despite his confidence, he could feel his hands shaking, though in fear or in anticipation he wasn't sure. The dark mage studied him for another moment before nodding, as if he found the answer satisfactory.

"Good, you'll need that anger when facing Deliora. I hope you pass this test Natsu, for both our sakes." He said, slowly fading away. Before Natsu could try and stop him from leaving, a massive chunk of ice landed in front of him and blocked him from reaching Zeref. He punched the ice out of the way but by then the dark mage had disappeared.

"Damnit!" Natsu screamed into the air, as ice and rock fell around him.

 **-At the Top of the Temple-**

"Stop!" Erza called. She quickly cut Toby down, ending the Moon Drip ritual.

"He was the only one doing the ritual?" Lucy asked in confusion.

"This type of spell only needs one person to do it but the more there are, the greater the effect." Mystogan explained.

"Either way the spell's over now." Happy pointed out.

"It doesn't matter now, we've won, the spells finished!" Toby cried in triumph. As the Fairy Tail mages stared at him in shock, the ground beneath them erupted in a green light. A roar shook the entire island, knocking Lucy off her feet.

"I-is that what I think that is?" She asked worriedly. Mystogan nodded as he helped her to her feet.

"Yes, Deliora is free." He answered.

"What do we do now?" Happy asked.

"The only thing we can do, defeat the demon!" Erza said courageously, running off to fight Deliora. Happy and Lucy quickly followed but the blonde stopped to look behind her. Mystogan was standing still, cocking his head to the side as if he was listening to something.

"Is something wrong Mystogan?" Lucy asked worriedly. The masked mage shook his head and started walking off, the blonde right behind him.

"No, I just thought I heard something." He assured her, though he didn't tell the whole truth.

'I hope you're safe Natsu, the guild would fall apart if they lost you.' He thought morosely.

 **-Back Underground-**

Gray looked at Deliora and the ice he was now partially trapped in. Most of the ice had broken, leaving only the demon's hands and lower half stuck in the frozen water. As the monster roared once more, Gray bent down and picked up some of the melted water. Slowly, he let the water fall between his fingers.

"Thank you, Ur." He said sadly. Next to him, Natsu quietly walked up. As he watched Gray, the dragon slayer started hating Zeref even more for forcing his best friend to go through so much pain and heartache.

"I'm sorry Gray, I'm sure she would be proud of you." He said quietly. The ice mage looked at him in surprise before nodding sadly. He took a deep breath and faced Deliora.

"We need to stop him, now." Gray said firmly. Before either he or Natsu could act, they heard someone else coming up behind them. Turning around they saw Lyon desperately crawling to them, a crazed light in his eyes.

"Neither of you... will defeat Deliora, you're both... too weak. Only I... can defeat him." He gasped out as he slowly stood up.

"You were beat by Gray. That makes him stronger than you, and I'm sure I can beat you any day of the week. You can't do anything to this monster, you don't have what's needed." Natsu said, scoffing.

"I will surpass Ur! I will be the strongest! I will-" Lyon collapsed as Gray chopped his neck. The black haired man calmly walked forward until he was standing in front of Deliora. Slowly, he crossed his arms and started gathering his power.

"This ends now!" He shouted as he prepared to cast Iced Shell. Before he could cast the spell, Deliora finally broke free. With a mighty roar, he pulled his arms out of the ice and smashed the rest of his prison. Chunks of ice exploded everywhere, sending the three humans flying. Natsu and Gray managed to land on their feet while Lyon flopped across the ground.

"Gray, grab Lyon and meet up with the others!" Natsu ordered as he drew his flames out.

"No, Deliora is my responsibility! I'll handle this by sealing him away." The ice mage argued.

"We just talked about this, I'm not letting you sacrifice yourself for something pointless! I'll stall him while you get Lyon to safety!" The dragon slayer decided before leaping into battle. Gray looked ready to argue but then he looked over at Lyon's limp form. He struggled with himself for a moment before cursing and picking up his old rival. He quickly ran out of the cavern, Lyon on his back.

Natsu watched him leave before turning back to Deliora. The demon roared again, slowly stomping towards the dragon slayer. Natsu took a step forwards before suddenly falling to his knees.

'Damnit, using the blue fire earlier is catching up with me.' He realized as he stood back up. Giving a shout, he quickly jumped into dragon force, throwing rainbow flames everywhere. The demon paused for a moment, as if surprised by the sudden increase in power.

"What's wrong, scared? Come and get me you overgrown gorilla!" Natsu called challengingly. Deliora roared in outrage and threw a punch at the dragon slayer.

" **Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"** Natsu punched the demon's fist, forcing an explosion of power. It ended a second later, with Deliora quickly overwhelming the dragon slayer and throwing him against the opposite wall. Natsu gasped in pain as he hit the rocks. For a second, he stayed pressed against the wall before he fell down to the floor.

'He was way more powerful then when he was half-dead! I don't know if I can take him with dragon force alone.' The dragon slayer thought worriedly. He stood up and took a deep breath.

" **Fire Dragon's Roar!"** He shouted, unleashing the largest blast of fire he had ever summoned. The massive wave of flames were almost the size of the cavern, enveloping Deliora in a raging inferno that was hot enough to melt iron. The water under him heated to the point that it evaporated and became steam, hiding the demon in the mist. Natsu kept the blaze burning for a full minute before he ran out of breath. He bent over, his hands on his knees, as he tried to catch his breath.

"How- how was that you bastard?" He gasped out, a grin on his face. Slowly, the smoke parted and the smile fell off his face. In front of him stood Deliora, still as strong and menacing as he had been before the attack. The only indication that he had been attacked at all were the slight burns on his arms and legs. As the demon roared again Natsu sighed.

"Shit."

 **-In the Temple-**

After a couple of twists and turns Gray made it out of the caves and into the temple. Carrying Lyon, he continued to run until he bumped into Erza and the others.

"Gray, who's that and where's Natsu?" She demanded, running up to him.

"That's Lyon and Natsu stayed behind to hold off Deliora." He explained breathlessly. The redhead growled and punched his head.

"How could you just leave him?" She demanded. Gray scowled at the sudden assault.

"I didn't have a choice! Natsu said he would stall it for as long as possible while I got him to safety." He explained, motioning to Lyon. Erza looked like she wanted to continue arguing but she was interrupted.

"We need to go help Natsu!" Happy exclaimed but before he could fly off, Mystogan stopped him.

"I think we have to take care of ourselves first." He said, slowly backing up.

"What are you…" Lucy trailed off as they all felt it. The entire temple was starting to shake, even worse then it had previously. They could hear rocks being smashed and Deliora roaring, but the bad part was that the noises were getting closer.

"Everybody, run!" Mystogan shouted. All of them started running as fast as they could, their legs pumping as hard as they could. All of them followed the masked mage as he swiftly led them to a open window.

"W-wait! What are we doing?" Lucy stammered as she began to realize her friend's plan.

"Trust me!" He said. The group ran full speed at the window, jumping out of the temple and into open air. As they fell, Mystogan made some hand signs. A dark substance rose from the forest floor and cushioned their fall.

"Thank you for the quick thinking." Erza said once they had recovered. The masked mage nodded but before he could say anything, the temple exploded. A massive fist broke through the structure, sending rocks and shrapnel flying. The Fairy Tail mages ducked under the rubble, letting it sail over their heads. When they looked back up, they gasped in horror. Deliora had reached through the temple and had pulled his upper half through to the surface.

"That's Deliora?" Erza asked quietly. She had heard what it looked like but still, seeing it in person was something else entirely. It was enormous, with armor plating on it's arms and around it's head. It's mouth was in a permanent scowl that seemed to add to its ferocity. Even by being near it, she could feel it's rage and the need to destroy. Even the others, who had seen it already were shocked. Unlike last time, when it's eyes were empty, it now had a dark and dangerous glint to them.

Suddenly, as they were watching, Deliora turned to look at them. There was a pause, as both groups stared at each other, and then the demon roared at them. It's cry was powerful enough to rip the younger trees out of the ground and send them flying. The Fairy Tail mages once more dropped to the earth, hugging the dirt and holding on for dear life. Amazingly none of them were thrown back and shakily stood up once Deliora stopped its assault.

"H-how can it have this much power?" Lucy wondered as she dusted herself off.

"It's the demon of destruction for a reason, this is what it was created for." Gray said through clenched teeth. Seeing his old enemy again was bringing back some unpleasant memories, one's that he thought he was finally done with.

"Where's Natsu?" Mystogan asked worriedly.

"He's probably still in the caves." Erza said grimly. With all of the rubble falling into the cave, the dragon slayer would have a hard time making it out of there.

"What's it doing now?" Happy suddenly asked. The group looked up to see Deliora charging a green beam inside it's mouth. A flash of explosions went off in Gray's memories as he remembered what that attack did.

"Everybody scatter!" He shouted running to the side, trying to get out of the blast range. The others quickly followed, but they knew they wouldn't make it in time. Deliora was charging his attack too fast, they kept tripping over tree roots, Gray was still carrying Lyon, they were just too slow!

Suddenly Erza stopped and turned towards the demon. With a quick flash she transformed into her Adamantine armor. The others stopped and turned to stare at her.

"Erza what are you doing?!" Gray demanded. The redhead planted her shields in the ground, tilting her head to look back at her friends.

"I need to stop it here or it's going to destroy most of the island!" She shouted. The demon seemed to accept her challenge as it focused his attack at her. Right as it launched it's attack everyone heard a sudden shout.

" **Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!"** A blast of fire crashed through the ruins and smashed into Deliora's jaw, shutting his mouth. A massive explosion went off in the demon's mouth, causing smoke to billow out of it's maw. As it roared in pain, the fire dissipated and Natsu dropped down. He landed in a roll and ran into the jungle underbrush. Before he could get far, he was blindsided by a blue blur.

"Natsu, you're okay!" Happy cried as he gave his friend a death hug. The dragon slayer patted his head affectionately as the others ran up to him. Erza had transformed back into her heart kreuz armor and was able to keep up with the others. Natsu glanced at them, spending a second longer to gaze Erza, before looking back down at Happy.

"Yeah buddy, I'm fine." He assured the exceed. Even though he said that the others could see the truth. Even though he was in dragon force he still had a couple of gashes on his face and another one on his head, creating blood trails that ran down his face. His once black cloak was now a bunch of rags tied around his neck. The rest of his clothes were either covered in dust or splashes of blood. His left arm had most of the skin shredded, with slashes and red patches everywhere. He was taking trembling breaths as he rested and his hands were shaking lightly.

"Natsu, what happened down there?" Erza asked. For a moment, the dragon slayer's eyes seemed to darken before he shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. I was fighting Zalty and when I punched him he ran off. Afterwards Deliora started breaking free. That was when Gray came down." He explained quickly, standing up and dusting himself off.

"While this is fascinating, we have bigger problems to deal with." Mystogan said, interrupting anything that Erza said. He pointed up at the towering figure of Deliora, standing still as stone.

"With how hard Natsu hit it, I'm surprised it's still standing." Happy said, looking up at the demon. Natsu chuckled before he winced in pain as he accidentally brushed his arm against a plant.

"I'd be lucky if all I did was tickle him." He said, tearing off his cloak and making makeshift bandages out of it.

"B-but what about that huge explosion? It should have done something to it!" Lucy stammered in shock. Natsu was one of the strongest people she knew, and if he couldn't hurt it, who could?

"No all that did was stun it. We have a couple more seconds before it starts moving again." Gray replied, staring up at the demon with his fists clenched.

"All of you need to head over to the other side of the island, I'll take care of him." Natsu said as he finished patching himself up. Erza shook her head at his foolishness.

"There's no way you can stand up to that thing by yourself. You'll need our help to even have a chance against it." She argued.

"You can't do everything on your own." Mystogan added, placing his hand on the dragon slayer's shoulder. For a moment, the two of them seemed to have a silent conversation before Natsu sighed and nodded in acceptance. Suddenly Deliora started moving, turning to look down on them once more.

"Gray, Happy, Lucy look for anyone in the area and get them out of here! Mystogan and Erza, you'll work with me to stall it and keep him occupied for as long as possible. Now go!" He ordered.

The first three headed off instantly, carrying Lyon. They knew this wasn't the time to argue about who was going to fight Deliora. This was a life or death situation, and they had to save as many people as possible. Mystogan pulled out his fan staff as he prepared for battle, not even thinking twice about fighting a demon of destruction. Erza didn't seem to be nervous about it, but she did look at Natsu worriedly.

"Will you be able to fight in your condition?" She asked, concern lacing her voice. The dragon slayer smiled grimly as he summoned his fire to his hands.

"These scratches won't keep me down, besides, it's not like we have any other options." He said, as he slowly gathered his power. She stepped back in surprise as he suddenly burst into flames, lighting crackling around him.

" **Lightning Fire Dragon Mode."** He growled, his power surging around him. Erza couldn't stop letting out a small gasp as she felt his magic. Not even during their fight, when he had been in dragon force, had his power been this wild or chaotic.

'Not chaotic.' She realized. 'Angry.' It was as if he was enraged at the very idea that Deliora was alive. Filing it away for later, she quickly requipped into her Flight armor. With a quick nod to Natsu, the two of them charged the demon. Mystogan backed them up from a distance with wind attacks.

With an unspoken agreement, the dragon slayer went for Deliora's chest while Erza dashed around it's legs. He hammered the top half of the demon's body with a rain of blows, each punch causing the ground to rumble and the air to crackle and burn. The redhead jumped back and forth, dodging Deliora's attacks while slashing it's legs. Mystogan distracted it with blasts of wind and deflected any attacks headed his way. It was an impressive sight, watching the three mages fight. However, even with their powerful abilities, it still wasn't enough.

"None of our attacks are having any effect on this thing!" Erza said frustratedly, requipping to a different sword. This had been the eighth weapon she had switched to in the past couple minutes. Every time she attacked Deliora's legs, her swords had almost immediately become dull and she was forced to switch to another one. The demon's legs however, despite her best efforts, were perfectly unharmed.

"We need to think up a new plan." Mystogan added as he blasted the demon's hand to stop it from grabbing it from Natsu. The masked mage had been forced to put more power into each attack to keep Deliora distracted. If he was honest with himself, all his attacks were doing was attacking the demon with a light breeze.

"We need to give Gray and the others more time to move everyone to the other side of the island, so if you have another way to distract it I'm all ears!" Natsu shouted to them, blasting Deliora in the face with a roar of fire. When the flames died down the dragon slayer saw that all he had achieved was scorching the demon's face, that and enraging it even further.

The other two didn't have any ideas so they continued fighting, keeping the demon busy. As the fight continued to drag on, the mages could feel themselves start to tire. They could feel their energy levels slowly depleting as they continued to hurl attacks at Deliora. Every once in awhile they would slip up, either moving too slow or overshooting an attack, and one of the others would have to spend more energy to save them. Finally the inevitable happened, one of them slipped up.

Finally fed up with the ants trying to hurt it, Deliora fired a beam of energy at Mystogan. The masked man prepared to deflect it like he had previously, but this time, the demon had learned. Instead of targeting Mystogan himself, Deliora blasted the jungle floor right in front of him. The ground beneath Mystogan exploded, throwing him back into the jungle and out of sight.

"Mystogan!" Natsu cried, reaching towards where he had seen his friend disappear. While he was distracted, the demon used the opportunity to attack. Moving faster than it had ever moved before, it spun towards Natsu, slapping him away with a sweep of it's arm. Fortunately, the dragon slayer didn't fly very far. Unfortunately he stopped flying because he slammed into what was left of the temple. He let an uncontrollable gasp slip from his lips, blood spilling from his mouth.

Natsu fell down the remains of the building, hitting the ground with a loud thud. He groaned as he suddenly felt his brain try and crawl out of his skull. Trying to ignore it, he attempted to stand up. As he did, the jungle suddenly seemed to spin, causing him to trip and fall back down. With a growl he shook his head to try and rid himself of his dizziness but all he did was make his head hurt even more.

'I must have a concussion.' Natsu realized. Before he could think of anything else he heard a shout, followed by a triumphant roar. Flinching at the noise, he looked up to see two Delioras towering above him, slightly blurred together.

'Yep, definitely a concussion.' He thought, squinting in an attempt to see clearly. Slowly, Deliora focused back into one demon. Natsu was able to see that it was holding something in it's hand. No, not something, but someone. Someone with beautiful red hair. Wait, didn't he know someone with red hair? Finally his rattled brain made the connection.

"Erza!" He screamed in horror. Hearing him, the redhead tilted her head to look at him, the rest of her body trapped in the demon's grasp.

"Natsu," She gasped, her adamantine armor flashing in the moonlight. "You need to run."

"No I'm not leaving you!" He shouted, stumbling towards the demon.

"There's nothing we can do against this thing! You have to get everyone on my ship so you can escape the island!" Erza ordered. A second later she gasped in pain as Deliora squeezed tighter. Suddenly Natsu was reminded of what Zeref had said earlier.

" _Deliora always did love crushing his stronger foes."_

'No! I won't lose her, not again!' He growled, the memory of the redhead's broken body flashing in his mind. Somehow, Zeref had known she was important to him, so he made sure to make her death as agonizing as possible. Shoving the image away he straightened to his full height, glaring at Deliora.

"Hey, you overgrown ape! Put her down!" He shouted up at the demon. Slowly, almost leisurely, Deliora turned to look at him. After glancing at the dragon slayer for a moment, the monster suddenly began charging up another attack inside his mouth.

Natsu saw the attack coming, he could hear the wind howling around him as it whipped his clothes back and forth, hell he could even smell it! But even with all of his senses screaming at him, telling him to move, he couldn't. He tried to move his limbs, he tried to blast the attack right back at Deliora, he tried to save Erza, but he couldn't. All he could do was stand there and watch the attack rocket towards him.

The ground around him was churned up and absorbed into the blast, making it bigger and even more terrible than it had been already. As it neared Natsu, the attack seemed to envelop him, shrouding him in it's infernal light. And then it exploded.

His entire body erupted in pain as the blast began to destroy him. It felt like every fiber of his body was being unraveled, slowly and meticulously to let the pain last as long as possible. He couldn't move, he couldn't cry out, he couldn't even look around with how much pain he was in. And then it vanished.

Natsu blinked in surprise as he suddenly felt all of his pain disappear. Not only that but also his fears, his concerns, even his doubts seemed to be wiped from his mind. It was as if he was entering a euphoria, with no pain, no worry, only pleasure and relaxation.

'This is paradise.' He thought as he slowly melted into the feeling.

'Maybe so, but you're not here to relax.' His consciousness reminded him sternly.

'It's not like there's anyone to save or some bad guy to beat down.' He retorted. But as he thought that, doubt began to nag at him. It started as a small itch in the back of his head but it slowly overtook the pleasure he was experiencing.

'What was I doing before this? Wasn't there someone I was trying to save? And how did I even get here?' He wondered, frowning. As he stood there thinking, he thought he heard someone calling to him.

"Natsu!" He looked around but he couldn't see who was talking to him. All he could see was the orange light of the explosion that came from the attack.

'But what attacked me?' He wondered. It was becoming harder and harder to focus on what was happening, as the power that was affecting him tried to pull him away from whatever was going on. It was as if he was slowly being pulled apart and the longer he stayed in the weird light the more he came apart.

"Natsu we need you!" He knew that voice didn't he?

"Natsu." The voice seemed to be weaker, as if they were losing a fight. He needed to help them even if he didn't know anything else, he knew he had to help them. First though, he had to get out of the tomb of power he was trapped in. He tried to flare his magic but he couldn't even conjure a spark.

'I'm all out of energy!' He realized. Frantically, he looked around for anything he could eat for energy. But like earlier, all that he could see was the burning power that surrounded him.

'Burning.' He thought. Slowly, a familiar grin stretched across his face.

 **-With Erza and Deliora-**

Erza gasped in horror as Natsu simply _stood_ there, allowing the demon's attack to envelope him. Deliora's laser died down for a moment before it erupted in a massive explosion. The blast consumed a major portion of the temple and the forest surrounding it, completely obliterating both stones and leaves alike.

"Natsu!" Erza cried, desperately hoping to see a sign of her friend. But despite her plea, she didn't see the dragon slayer anywhere. Behind her Deliora made a strange noise, a sound somewhat similar to coughing. The redhead felt rage well up within her as she realised what the demon was doing, it was laughing!

Erza once more renewed her struggles, trying to free herself from the demon's grip. She tried to switch into a new armor but there wasn't any room for her to bring anything else out. She couldn't even pull a sword out of her magic storage! Suddenly Deliora focused on her again. Titania gasped in pain as the demon tightened its grip on her, further denting her already crushed armor.

"Natsu we need you!" She gasped. Breathing was starting to become difficult and talking only made it worse, but she had to do something, no one else could. Gray and Lucy were no match for this thing and Mystogan probably wasn't getting back up any time soon. With the redhead trapped in Deliora's grasp, all she could do was try and reach out to Natsu.

"Natsu." She said weakly. Finally, as she began to black out, the dragon slayer made his move. The leftover power from Deliora's attack suddenly began to spin in a twister motion as Natsu swiftly consumed it. He seemed to be completely focused on the task at hand, not even paying any attention to the demon in front of him. The same could not be said for Deliora, who turned its attention back to the dragon slayer who it thought it had killed already. When it focused on Natsu, it unconsciously loosening its grip on Erza. The redhead took several large gulps of air as her lungs began to function properly.

While she was recovering from almost being crushed, Natsu finished his meal. He slowly wiped his mouth and glared at Deliora.

"Round two asshole." He growled. But before he could do anything else, he suddenly gasped in pain. Dropping to his knees, he grabbed at his throat as fire began to spew from his mouth. Unlike his usual flames, however, these ones were black with a strange, almost violent, aura. The fire continued to fly from his mouth and began enveloping him, once more hiding him from Erza and Deliora. For a moment everything was quiet, as both human and demon watched the black flames in a mixture of shock and confusion. And then Natsu exploded.

Deliora was forced to take a step back as the black fire suddenly erupted in a flurry of flames, leaping even higher than the demon itself. The flames seemed to stay as one single inferno, torching everything around it. Everything it could reach was instantly consumed, no matter if it was living or not. The earth itself was torched black, burned and warped beyond recognition. The fire flicked at the two beings but Deliora simply batted the flames away and they kept their distance after that, though they continued to burn through everything else.

Finally, after a minute of the flames whipping around sporadically, they began to recede. Slowly the inferno shrunk down until it became a human shaped blaze. It had no true definition to it, only a silhouette of flames that burned black in the night. And then the fire was gone, and in it's place stood Natsu, though he looked different from before. Looking closely, Erza could see a small streak of black running through the dragon slayer's usually pink hair.

" **Demonic Fire Dragon Mode**." He announced before leveling a glare at Deliora

"I thought I told you to put her down." He growled. The demon glanced at Erza for a moment, as if suddenly remembering she was there. With a huff, it dropped her like a piece of trash, letting her fall to the ground without a single care. As she fell, Erza tried to call upon her magic to save her, but with her near death experience, she was too weak to do anything. As the ground rushed up to meet her she closed her eyes, bracing for the impact. But instead of the jarring feeling she thought she'd feel, she suddenly felt as if she was being carried. Opening her eyes, Erza realized that Natsu was carrying her bridal style with the dragon slayer hugging her to his chest. It took her a moment to realize that he was trying to talk to her.

"Erza, are you okay?" He repeated, looking at her with concern. If it didn't hurt so much Erza would have laughed, it was obvious that she wasn't okay. Every time she tried to move, she was racked with an unbelievable amount of pain that almost sent her into unconsciousness. Natsu seemed to realise this because he suddenly shook his head.

"Of course you're not okay. Alright, I need to move so try and ignore the pain for now." He decided, shifting her to a more comfortable position. She tried to say something but even attempting to talk made her injuries flare up. All she could do was stay as still as possible and trust him to keep her safe from harm. A second later they were moving, traveling faster than she could ever hope to, even with her flight armor. The ruins of the battle fell behind in a matter of seconds, quickly replaced by the part of the jungle that was still lush and full of life.

As they traveled, Natsu's body heat slowly enveloped Erza. It comforted her, soothing her pain and gently urging her to relax. If she focused, she could hear his heart beating a loud, steady rhythm. It was almost hypnotizing, listening to his heart beat. Slowly, she could feel herself start to drift into unconsciousness. Alarm shot thought her as she realized what was happening.

'I need to stay awake!' She thought frantically. Falling asleep was the worst thing to do right now, at least until they got to wherever Natsu was taking her. But how was she to stay awake till then? Desperately, she managed to lift her arm and grasp Natsu's shirt. He looked down at her in alarm.

"Erza you shouldn't be moving!" He cried, almost missing his next step in his worry.

"You… need to keep… me awake." She gasped out, trying to ignore the pain that was racking her body. To her relief, Natsu nodded in understanding. The next few moments were passed by in silence, as the dragon slayer thought of something to keep her awake. Finally he decided on what to do.

"When Lisanna died, I was devastated. I don't know if I was ever romantically attracted to her, but she was one of my best friends. When she went on the S-class quest, I always thought she would come back. The biggest thing that concerned me at the time was that I never got to go." He started, staring straight ahead and never glancing at Erza. She could understand why though, this was something he had kept to himself for over two years. It must be hard for him to say it outloud.

"When I found out she was dead, I was lost for so long. I put her grave at the house we had made together, not that big gravestone near the church, but a small simple one that gave her a great view of the sunset. Even when I did that though, I didn't really feel like I was there. It was as if I was simply going through the motions, waiting to wake up from a terrible nightmare. It wasn't until I saw Elfman crying that I realized something, I didn't have time to be sad. I needed to be strong for everyone else so they wouldn't wallow in their own guilt or grief. In somes aspects I succeeded but in others I failed. I was able to help Mira and Elfman recover, but they never fully returned to their past selves and I blame myself for that. If only I was stronger, then I could have prevented all of it." He said sadly.

Erza simply stared at him in shock. She knew that he was hurting when Lisanna died, but she had never realized how much. After he had talked with Elfman that one day, he had returned to his usual smiling self. Whenever someone had asked him how he was doing, all he would say was that he was fired up. She never noticed how much pain was hidden behind that smile. She had seen his pain when they were in the magic mobile, but this was a different kind of pain. This was one that he had been hiding for a very long time, longer than the pain of losing his friends. But that didn't make sense, he had lost of his friends before Lisanna died. She was so lost in her thoughts, she barely noticed that Natsu was talking again.

"Now with everything happening, with so many changes suddenly occurring, it's becoming harder to keep everything under control. I want to keep all of you safe, but it's so hard to help you when you don't understand the danger you're in. I thought about explaining it to you, telling you everything I knew, but I can't. Doing so could put you in even more danger than you are now, and I can't lose you Erza, you're important to me." He explained, finally looking down at her. To her surprise there were tears in his eyes. She couldn't even remember the last time that she had seen him cry. Then he blinked and the tears were gone.

"We're here." He said, suddenly stopping.

To her surprise, Natsu had taken her to the villager's makeshift camp site. The villagers stared at him in shock as if he had suddenly appeared from thin air.

'To them, he probably did.' She realized. In the back of her mind, the part that wasn't trying to process everything that the dragon slayer had just told her, she wondered how he had known about the camp's location.

'He probably used his dragon slayer senses.' She decided before giving up on the question. Natsu's warmth was starting to lull her to sleep again and she couldn't think clearly. The villagers were still staring at the dragon slayer, so he cleared his throat and gently lifted Erza up so they could see her clearly.

"Could I have some help please?" He asked. Finally the demon-people started moving, coming closer to the two mages. Someone brought forth a stretcher and Natsu gingerly put the red head on it. As he stepped away, she shivered slightly. The dragon slayer had taken his warmth with him, suddenly leaving her cold and alone.

'Idiot, you're not alone. The villagers will take care of you.' She berated herself. But even as she thought that, she wished that Natsu was still with her to... comfort her, warm her? She wasn't sure what she wanted, her eyelids were slowly sinking lower and lower. Soon she would be unconscious. Forcing herself to stay awake she looked to see Natsu beginning to walk back towards Deliora.

"Natsu…" She murmured, wanting to reach out to the dragon slayer. Thankfully he heard her, turning around and kneeling next to her. Gently, he brushed a strand of hair off her face.

"What is it Erza?" He asked softly. She managed to move her arm enough to grab Natsu's shirt.

"Please… stay safe." She whispered. He paused for a moment before smiling. It wasn't his normal, full blown grin that he usually had. Instead it was a small, gentle smile that looked much more real than his grins ever did. It made a small warmth bloom in her chest that spread to warm her entire body. Unable to hold on any longer, she slowly slipped into unconsciousness. But not before hearing Natsu's reply.

"Don't worry Erza, I will. I won't let you down, not again."

 **I am very sorry but I am going to have to end it here. This has been my longest chapter so far and I hate to stop, but I need to leave something for the next chapter. I know what you're probably thinking. It was just getting good! What is Natsu's new power? Did I or did I not just kill Mystogan? Do not worry, all of those questions and more will be answered next time on Fairy Tail Back in Time!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Arkham Knight22: Yes it is an Natsu x Erza pairing but they are not together quite yet**

 **DdraigTrueEmperor: I'm so glad you like it! Yeah they kind of diverted from the dragons and went full into the demons. With END, he is going to be a very strong and very important part of this story though his build up may be slow. With Natsu and his Lightning-Flame Dragon Mode, he ate Laxus lightning when he was younger so he was able to tap into it and activate it. I'm glad you liked the scene with Natsu and Erza, I need to start having more scenes with them so they can realize they like each other by a certain arc. You're definitely right about Mystogan, I have plans for him, hehehe.**

 **midnightscar17: I'm sorry but I am not making this fanfiction a harem. I find the idea of a harem weird and I just can't write one**

 **EtherealTulip: Hahaha I love your review**

 **NinjaFang1331 and Guest: Thanks!**

 **WolfGaming: This comment is a little late but get to sleep!**

 **Angryhenry: You might find out this chapter ;)**

 **Meazm: Don't worry he will be dishing out some serious hurt this chapter**

 **Guest: You bet**

 **FoxBoy: Thank you very much, I'm so glad you enjoy my story so much. Also what would the dragon mode you suggested be like?**

 **nbuns1: Thank you for the great review! I'm so glad that you enjoy this story so much. I'm not sure if I will write anymore because this fanfiction will take a very long time to write. I did think of writing a RWBY fanfic just the other day but I'm not sure yet. We will have to see, so in the meantime enjoy this chapter!**

 **Jerrend: Thank you and I will add your vote to the list**

 **the real narnia: Thank you for the kind review, and don't worry I plan on finishing this story! With Mystogan I have an idea for him but we will have to see if you and the others like what I did. You're right about Deliora but I do need to include Lyon at some point, I honestly kind of forgot about him. Surprisingly for me, I have a rough plan for all of the arcs and for where Natsu and Zeref will be facing off. I may be able to do Natsu vs Gildarts, we'll just have to see ;). I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

 **The poll so far**

 **Continue:4**

 **Edit:1**

 **Both:1**

"Don't worry Erza, I will. I won't let you down, not again." Natsu said, standing up. He turned to one of the villagers standing off to the side.

"Please make sure she is healed properly." He asked and the demon quickly nodded. Before anything else could be said, a roar shook the very ground they stood upon.

"It seems Deliora has become fed up with waiting." Natsu mused before vanishing again in a burst of speed. Without the added weight, his trip back was much faster than before. He was still amazed at how fast he was able to move, the new form was even faster than his lightning fire dragon mode. Ignoring the part of him that wanted to go crazy with his new power, he focused on the upcoming fight. Thinking about Deliora reminded him of how the demon had been slowly crushing Erza only a couple of minutes ago. Almost unbiddingly, his new flames leaped to hands as the reminder mixed with the memory of Zeref killing the redhead. Snarling at the memory, the dragon slayer rocketed out of the jungle.

" **Demonic Fire Dragon's Raging Fist!** " Deliora didn't even have time to react as Natsu punched its cheek, sending black flames crawling up its face. As the fire burned through the demon's face, the strength of the blow threw it to the ground, sending up a cloud of dust and debris. The dragon slayer landed gently on the ground, slowly cracking his knuckles.

"Come on, is that all you've got big guy? I still have plenty of pain to dish out." He challenged, a small smirk on his face. With a roar, Deliora lunged out of the smoke, swatting Natsu with his backhand. The mage flew through several trees before he grabbed one with his claws, stopping his momentum. With a savage call, he jumped back into the fight.

" **Demonic Fire Dragon's Roar!** " He bellowed, unleashing a torrent of black fire at Deliora. The dark inferno completely enveloped the demon, hiding him from Natsu's sight. The dragon slayer kept up the blaze for several long moments until he finally ran out of breath. While he caught his breath, he watched the fire begin to dissipate. It seemed to take longer than his regular fire, spreading out and burning anything it could reach before it petered out. The largest group of flames slowly dissipated to reveal a torched Deliora. Unlike last time, when all that was singed was the demon's arms and legs, its entire front half was now covered in deep, black burns. When it moved, Natsu could hear it's armor-like skin crack and crumble as parts of it flaked off and fell to the ground. But even with it's front half completely torched, it still was a powerful force to be reckoned with.

Deliora began to throw a barrage of punches, each strike shaking the ground and churning up the earth. The dragon slayer dodged around every single one, vaulting over several fists and even backflipping over one. The demon could barely see the mage, moving so fast that he was almost a blur. Finally Deliora become fed up, slamming a massive foot into the ground. The impact caused an earthquake that shook the entire island while Natsu fell, the vibrations tripping him mid-step. The demon swooped upon the stunned dragon slayer, grabbing him in a large hand. When Natsu's world stopped shaking, he was staring at Deliora's fanged mouth. He glared up at the demon, hate in his eyes.

"What now? Are you going to crush me like you tried to do to Erza?" He growled. A second later Deliora gave him an answer, opening his mouth and pushing Natsu into it. With an audible snap, the demon shut its mouth closed before the dragon slayer could escape. It chewed for a few moments before growling in annoyance. Before it could do anything else it's mouth erupted in a fury of dark fire. As Deliora bellowed in pain, Natsu leaped out of it's mouth. He hit the ground, skidding a couple of feet. He stood up, dusted himself off, and glared at the demon.

"You tried to fucking eat me! First you hurt Mystogan, than you almost killed Erza! Now you try and eat me? Everything you do just makes me more and more enraged! Just you being here is pissing me off! You should be dead you stupid fucking demon! If it wasn't for Zeref you wouldn't be anything but a pile of rocks right now! Just die already you useless piece of garbage!" Natsu screamed at it. Deliora simply roared at him in answer. The black fire erupted in Natsu's hands, slowly covering his entire body. He raised his hands and poured his power into the flames, making them rise higher and higher. He poured everything into them, his anger, his pain, his sadness, his grief. All of it went into the fire, fueling it and making it stronger and wilder with each passing second. Finally, when the flames were Deliora's height, they stopped.

" **Dragon Slayer's Secret Art.** " Natsu intoned, his voice cold and distorted. At his words, Deliora began to charge up a massive attack, one that was twice the size as the first one. The dragon slayer completely ignored it, focusing entirely on his own attack.

" **Hellfire's Raging Inferno!** " He screamed, throwing the entire mass of fire at Deliora. The demon blasted a gigantic beam of destruction at the flames but the blaze simply consumed it. The fire roared towards the demon, swiftly enshrouding it in a veil of darkness. Natsu stood there, angrily watching as his attack tore through the demon, burning everything that it could reach. The demon tried to bat at the flames, but nothing it did would work. The fire simply continued to slowly scorch the demon, making its death as long and as painful as possible.

Deliora roared in agony, a painful and haunting sound that peeled across the island. With a loud boom, the demon sank to it's knees, and finally, the flames began to recede. They slowly dissipated, reaching out and burning into Deliora's flesh one last time before disappearing into the air. All that they left behind was a burned and half-dead Deliora.

It's once terrifying visage was gone, replaced by a patchwork of burns and scars. It's body was completely black, with cracks running up and down it's chest. It's arms and legs were in a similar state, with deep gouges where the fire had burned to the bone. Natsu slowly picked his way through the rubble of the battle to stand in front of the demon, looking up at it's now damaged face.

"That one was for Mystogan and Erza." He said, pulling back a fist.

"And this one is for Gray, Lyon, and Ultear!" He shouted, punching Deliora. The blow sent a large web of cracks through the demon's chest, quickly spreading over it's entire body. With a groan, the once powerful demon finally died, collapsing into pieces of stone and rock.

Natsu stood there for a moment, looking at his defeated foe. Slowly, he sank to his knees, letting his new power recede back into him. He didn't notice, but the black streak in his hair faded away as his magic became dormant once more. As it disappeared Natsu realized he felt exhausted. He had poured all of his power and emotions into that attack and now he was ready to collapse at any moment. But he couldn't, not yet, he still had one more thing to do. Throwing his head back he screamed into the sky.

"How is that Zeref!? Did I pass your damn test!? Is this what you wanted!? Well, answer me!" He shouted but no one answered him.

"Answer me damn it!" He screamed.

"That's enough Natsu, it's over." A voice said behind him, gently laying a hand on his shoulder. The dragon slayer turned around to see Mystogan standing behind him. The masked mage had a large red stain on his mask, pooling from the side of his head.

"Mystogan, you're alive." Natsu breathed, staring at his friend as if he was a ghost. The masked mage nodded, kneeling down next to his friend.

"When Deliora blasted me back, I must have hit my head on a rock because the next thing I knew I was waking up to your fight with Deliora." He explained. He had to find his balance as Natsu suddenly crashed into him, trying to hug the life out of him.

"I-I thought I lost you!" The dragon slayer cried, tears streaming down his face. Mystogan looked at him in surprise before smiling gently. He pulled Natsu closer, soothingly patting his back. The pinkette didn't care if he looked like a child, at that moment, all he wanted was someone's comfort.

"Why would you think that?" Mystogan wondered curiously. The explosion may have been right in front of him, but he wasn't an S-class mage for nothing. He knew that Natsu knew this so it didn't make sense for him to be this upset. The dragon slayer sniffled a few times before he began to explain.

"F-first Deliora threw you away with his attack, and then he knocked me away. I hit a wall and it gave me a concussion. When I was able to focus, Deliora had Erza in its grasp." He said, still crying.

"Is she okay?" Mystogan asked, alarmed. Natsu shrugged desperately.

"I don't know, Deliora had been trying to crush her but she was in her adamantine armor. There wasn't any blood but I don't know if there was any internal bleeding. When I managed to free her I took her to the villagers so they could treat her but I don't know anything after that." He said sadly, on the verge of crying again. The masked mage sighed and patted him reassuringly.

"Remember Erza and I are both S-class mages. We have been through countless life and death situations. She'll be back on her feet in no time at all." He reminded the dragon slayer. Natsu pulled away from him and looked at him with guilt clear in his eyes.

"But none of this should have happened! You shouldn't have gotten hurt, Erza shouldn't be on death's door, Deliora shouldn't have come back to life, none of this was supposed to happen!" He cried frustratedly.

"Then how did this happen?" Mystogan asked calmly. Natsu froze, a look of pain on his face. When he spoke, Mystogan had to strain to hear him.

"He was here. He did all of this. He brought Deliora back and had it attack me. He wanted me to pass his damn test, to see how much I'd grown. Zeref is behind this entire event and I didn't even see it coming!" Natsu ended with a shout, punching the ground. The masked mage laid a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him.

"Even if you have memories of the future, you can't predict everything that is going to happen. There will be changes that will surprise you and throw your entire plan into chaos. You must rise above them and finish your mission, because no one else can. You, and you alone, were able to beat Deliora. Because of this fight you've become stronger and now you can protect Fairy Tail even better than before. No one was permanently injured and you helped save the villagers as well as Lyon and his people. You're a hero Natsu, remember that." He said comfortingly, once more pulling the dragon slayer into an embrace. Natsu was quiet for a few moments before gently nodding in agreement.

"You're right as usual. Thank you for talking with me. Thank you for training me for two years. Thank you for putting up with me that entire time. Thank you for everything you've done, I would never have gotten this far on my own. I just… I just wish that you could stay here, with Fairy Tail, forever." He said quietly. Mystogan sighed, thinking about all they had gone through together.

Their first fight and Natsu's explanation of him being a time traveler, their two year trip, and all of the adventures they had been through. And finally meeting Lucy and making their way back to Fairy Tail. If Mystogan was honest with himself, he was going to miss the blonde mage. He felt that she was a kindred spirit, forced from her home by her father and made to wander in search of a new home. He wished he could stay, to help Natsu grow and finish his mission. And maybe, just maybe, to get to know Lucy a little bit better.

'But I have a mission of my own, one that takes priority over my happiness.' He thought, shaking his head. Looking back down at Natsu, he realized that the dragon slayer had fallen asleep. Mystogan stared at him for a few seconds before laughing in amusement. Gently, he moved the dragon slayer onto his back and standing up, began walking towards the villagers camp.

'My mission is important, it's true. But for now, I have a family to get back to.' He thought with a smile, disappearing into the jungle.

 **-A few hours later-**

Natsu woke with a start, sitting up in a flash. Next to him, the female demon that had been treating him jumped back in surprise. The dragon slayer looked around groggily, seeing some furniture, a pot of flowers and the walls of a hut. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes before turning to the villager.

"Are we at the village?" He asked and she quickly nodded.

"Yes Natsu-san. We don't know how but the village was somehow restored to exactly how it had been before. Your masked friend brought you here while you were unconscious." She explained. Natsu nodded in understanding, a small smile on his face.

'At least this is still the same.' He thought. He stood up and, ignoring the girl's warnings about his injuries, stepped outside. Thankfully it was still night, so he didn't have to adjust to the sudden change in light and he was able to find the other mages fairly easily. He saw Lucy and Happy hanging around in the background, the exceed munching on a fish while the blonde looked nervous. Gray had his shirt off and was acting like his usual cool self. Mystogan was in the front of the group, talking to the village chief. The masked mage had still not washed the blood from his mask and the pinkette guessed he hadn't dressed it either. Also talking with the chief was… Erza! Natsu's heart jumped in his throat as he saw her.

She was on her feet but her entire body was covered in bandages, and sometimes when she would move the wrong way she would wince in pain. The dragon slayer picked up his pace, reaching the group just in time to hear the last of the conversation.

"I sincerely apologize for failing to stop the release of Deliora and allowing it to destroy part of your island." Mystogan said, bowing to the village chief. Erza bowed slightly as well, though her injuries stopped her from going as low as Mystogan had. The elder shook his head at the statement.

"No, if anything we owe you our thanks. Your group was able to defeat the demon and stop it from causing any further damage to our home. You have our thanks for that, but we still wish you to destroy the moon." The chief said pointing at the purple sphere. While Lucy squeaked in astonishment, Happy looked over and saw Natsu walking towards them.

"Natsu you're awake!" The exceed cried, flying over to his friend. The dragon slayer chuckled and pulled his friend into a strong hug.

"Yep and it looks like I made it just in time." He said, walking over to the others. Mystogan nodded at him while Lucy and Gray looked relieved to see him, though the later was trying to hide it. Erza was looking at him with a variety of conflicted emotions, relief and guilt among them. Before Natsu could ask her about it, Mystogan started talking to him.

"I assume you heard what we were just talking about?" He asked, sounding as if he already knew the answer. The dragon slayer nodded, turning to the chief.

"Don't worry about the moon, we'll have it destroyed in a matter of minutes!" He said cheerfully. Lucy looked at him in surprise and even Gray seemed skeptical at the idea. He flashed them a grin before turning to Erza.

"Can I borrow your Giant's Spear for a moment?" He asked. The redhead glared at him, as if knowing what he was thinking.

"Just because I'm injured doesn't mean that I can't throw a simple spear." She declared, requipping into a yellow armor with a large right arm. The knight then summoned a large spear, slamming it into the ground. Natsu sighed at the action, as if he knew this was going to happen.

"You just fought a demon Erza, you can't just get up and start chucking stuff at the moon. You need your rest." He argued but she shook her head.

"You fought Deliora as well, even more than I did. If you won't stay in bed and rest, than your argument is pointless." She pointed out. The dragon slayer began to say that he wasn't injured, but as he moved to point at her injuries he saw a roll of bandages running up his arm. He had an identical dressing on his other arm, as well as a staggering amount of bandages on his chest. Checking his head, Natsu even felt a swath of bandages going around his head.

"I may be hurt, but you were being crushed by it." He said, trying to salvage his point.

"And Mystogan says that it _ate_ you. There's no point in arguing about this Natsu, if you can't follow your own advice than noone else will." Erza said, bringing an end to the argument. The dragon slayer shot a glare at the masked mage, who shrugged innocently, before sighing in defeat.

"Fine, let's get this over with so we can all get some rest." He said, igniting his fist. Unlike the last time though, these were his normal, white hot flames. Erza glanced at the fire before nodding in agreement and angling the spear upward.

"With us being too wounded to climb, we will have to do it here. That means you have to put a little more power into the punch." She directed, glancing at Natsu. He nodded in confirmation, moving to stand behind her. Everyone was smart enough to back up so they wouldn't be in range for whatever the two mages were about to do.

"They don't think that they can really destroy the moon, do they?" Lucy whispered to Mystogan. The masked mage shook his head, though only slightly so the villagers couldn't see him doing it.

"The moon isn't really what they're aiming for, it's what's in front of it that they want to destroy." He explained. The blonde started to ask another question but before she could, it started.

"Now Natsu!" She cried, moving to throw the spear. At the same time the dragon slayer slammed a fire powered fist into the flat, circular bottom. As Erza released the spear, it began to spew white fire. With the strength of the throw and the extra propulsion from the fire, the weapon rocketed towards the moon. It kept going higher and higher, it seemed like it would reach the heavens itself. And then the spear destroyed the moon.

The sky above the island erupted into a thousand shards of purple glass, all of them slowly dissolving into the night sky. As they scattered, the purple moon slowly returned to it's normal white color. When it did, the villagers began to glow, appearing to return to their normal forms. However when the light faded, they were still in their full demon forms. The chief looked at everyone in confusion before focusing on the Fairy Tail mages.

"Why didn't we turn back?" He asked. Natsu grinned and motioned to Erza.

"She can explain it better than I can." He said. The redhead looked at him in confusion.

'He was able to explain about Lullaby easily enough, this shouldn't be a problem either.' She thought but she shrugged and started explaining everything to the villagers.

"When you tried to reach the temple, what would happen?" She asked the chief. The elder scratched his cheek while looking away in embarrassment.

"When ever any of us tried to reach the ruins, we would suddenly wake up outside the village." He answered and several of the other demons nodded in agreement.

"That is because of the moon drip ceremony was affecting you." Erza explained.

"You mean besides changing them?" Lucy asked curiously.

"Yes, though not in the way you think. The moon drip affects the demons through memory loss. They believed that they were humans cursed as demons when in fact it was the other way around." The redhead added.

"Wait so you're saying that…" Gray trailed off, too shocked to continue. Instead, Mystogan finished the statement.

"Indeed, they are actually demons." He said, a small smirk behind his mask. Lucy and Gray cried in alarm while Natsu laughed his ass off at their expressions. The villagers were still trying to wrap their heads around it.

"Then why did we look like humans during the day?" One of them asked.

"That is because you are able to cast an illusion over yourselves, making it seem like you were humans cursed as demons." Erza explained.

"Are all of you finally back to normal?" A voice suddenly called from above them. Everyone looked up to see a demon flying above them, a very familiar demon.

"Bobo!" The chief cried. On his back two wings sprouted out and he shot into the air, hugging his son. Soon all of the other villagers were launching into the air, laughing and cheering at Bobo's return. Down on the ground, the mages were watching them with wide smiles.

"You know, even though their demons, they kinda remind me of angles." Gray commented. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"What do you think Natsu?" Erza asked, but the dragon slayer didn't give a response. Looking over she realized that he wasn't even there!

"Where did Natsu go?" Mystogan asked, also noticing the pinkette's absence.

"I can't believe he pulled another disappearing act, and now of all times." Lucy groaned in exasperation.

"Maybe he went to get fish?" Happy suggested.

"He could have done whatever he needed to do later." Gray muttered. Before he could complain anymore, some of the demons landed in front of them.

"We're going to throw a party for your hard work and for Bobo's return. Do you want to join us?" One of them asked. The Fairy Tail mages looked at each other before Erza smiled.

"Yes, we would love to."

 **-Outside of the village-**

"Why aren't you working you blasted thing?" Zalty demanded, smacking his lacrima against a tree. For some reason the orb refused to take his magic, almost as if it was a living person. When he had tried to activate it to contact Siegrain it had just sat there like a useless rock.

"Damnit!" He cried, throwing it over his shoulder. The masked man expected to hear it thud into the ground, yet all he was met with was silence. Confused he turned around to see what had happened. He suddenly froze as he met Natsu's calm gaze, his lacrima in the dragon slayer's hands.

"You know you shouldn't take your anger out on your belongings. They might end up breaking." He said with a small smile, tossing back the lacrima. Because of how shocked Zalty was, he barely caught it, fumbling with the orb for a moment before catching it.

"H-How did you find me Salamander?" He asked nervously. The dragon slayer hadn't been threatening when they had last met, but if he had bothered tracking down the green haired then he was here for something important. And if Natsu found out who Zalty really was then this could become much worse for the masked mage.

'I need to keep him from finding out who I really am." He thought worriedly. However that plan went out the window with the dragon slayer's next words.

"It was pretty easy following your scent. A piece of advice for if you ever decide to dress as a man, don't wear perfume. It really gives you away, Ultear." He said, still smiling his stupid grin. Zalty scowled at him, swiping the mask and green off his face. For a moment, he was a man with a pinched face, then his form shimmered and in his place stood Ultear.

She wore a short, white kimono with a yellow sash across her waist. She had a sleeve on her left arm reaching down to her wrist while her right had none. Around her neck was a black choker with a gold clasp. She looked very beautiful, but the image was ruined by her scowl.

"Well, now that you know who I am what are you going to do now?" She spat at him. Natsu looked at her confused.

'Why is she angry with me? The last time we had talked… oh.' He realized, thinking back to their last conversation. He sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"Look, I'm sorry for last time. You started asking the wrong questions, I threatened you and everything you care about, it just got out of hand." He apologized but she continued to glare at him.

"Why don't we start over with the introductions, wipe the slate clean?" He offered his hand but was met with silence.

"I'll even fix your lacrima." He offered desperately. The silent treatment was really starting to bother him. Ultear thought about it for a moment before daintily shaking his hand. The dragon slayer grinned cheerfully at her.

"Hi! I'm Natsu Dragneel, son of Igneel and I'm also known as the Salamander. I'm a mage at Fairy Tail." He greeted.

"Hello my name is Ultear, now fix it." She said, shoving the orb at him. To her annoyance, Natsu chuckled at her.

"You're not even going to say your last name or who you're affiliated with? Alright it's your choice." He said, humorously. He ran a finger around her orb, the blue fire from before flickering around it. After a couple of rotations he handed it back to Ultear.

"There it's all fixed." He assured her. She snatched it up and, after looking at it for a moment, threw it up into the air. Once it left her hand, it began to float in midair, supported by her magic. She nodded in satisfaction before turning back to the dragon slayer.

"I assume you didn't track me down just to apologize. What do you really want?" She demanded. Natsu smirked at her choice of words.

"You're being pretty straightforward, I know someone who likes that in a person." He joked but she just shot him a flat look. He sighed, his smile dropping as he finally became serious.

"I was wondering if you were up for taking a job." He asked. Ultear blinked in surprise.

'Where did this come from?' She wondered.

"You know that I already have a job." She said but he just looked at her in confusion.

"But that's a long term job. I figured as a member of a dark guild you may be willing to accept another, smaller one." He explained. The dark haired mage stiffened in alarm. When they had first met, he had alluded towards knowing her true affiliation. But now here he was conforming, her fears.

'If he knows that I'm part of a dark guild, what else does he know? And how?' She wondered. Before her thoughts could start racing with ideas, she calmed herself and though about the dragon slayer's comment.

"I'm not sure what you mean Salamander. It wouldn't make any sense for a council member to be part of a dark guild." She argued.

"But what about-" Natsu began before shaking his head. "Nevermind, if you want to pretend you're not it isn't my concern." Before Ultear could argue the fact, the dragon slayer moved on.

"Could you at least listen to my job request?" He asked hopefully. The council member sighed in exasperation before nodding in defeat. Natsu quickly outlined the job, explaining what he wanted the time mage to do for him. When he finished she remained silent, pondering the request.

"Trying to do what you're suggesting, it's going to be almost impossible, even for me." Ultear admitted.

"You said it's _almost_ impossible." He pointed out. "Does that means there's a chance that it could be done?"

"Yes, though it will probably take some time." She agreed reluctantly.

"Then will you do it? I'll pay you of course." Natsu said cheerfully. She thought about it for a few seconds before she slowly smiled.

"I'll attempt it, but I don't want to be paid in money." She decided.

"Then what do you want in exchange?" He asked, frowning.

"I will accept your job if and only if you tell me everything you know about Grimoire Heart and how you acquired your information." Ultear said. Natsu stared at her in surprise.

"I-I can't tell you that. And besides, why would you want to know about them if you're a council member?" He stammered. The time mage's smile grew as she walked up to the dragon slayer, putting a finger on his chest. She was starting to gain control of the conversation and she wasn't about to let up anytime soon.

"As a council member I need to find out everything I can about the dark guilds. Part of that is finding out the source of information so I can double check it to see if it's reliable. You wouldn't be obstructing the law, would you Salamander?" She asked innocently. Natsu scowled at her, brushing her hand away.

"You clever little…" He said before trailing off, his scowl firmly etched onto his face.

"You can either tell me or you can try and find another time mage who's willing to help you." Ultear said confidently. Both of them knew that the chance of him finding another Arc of Time user was one in a million, and she guessed he didn't have the time to try that chance. The dragon slayer was quiet, weighing his options, before finally reaching a decision.

"Fine, but you can only pick one of them. Either you find out what I know or how I came across the information." He said, a smirk replacing the scowl. The time mage glared at him, angry at the way the conversation had shifted.

"Why only one of them?" She demanded. He shrugged, as if her frustration didn't bother him.

"The information is simply too important to give them both to you. You can pick one or the other, it's your choice." He explained, smiling at her. She glared at him on more time but when he refused to give in she began thinking.

'He could be bluffing. He never outright said he knew anything about Grimoire Heart, simply saying that he knows I'm a part of it. But at the same time he could know everything about us, including what the final plan is. But the only way he would know that was if he had an inside source. So it would be worthwhile to ask how he gained the information, but he may know something that he didn't learn from the leak. There might not even be a leak!' She thought angrily. She calmed herself before focusing back on Natsu.

"So what's your decision?" He asked curiously. No matter what she chose, he wouldn't lie to her. He wouldn't lie to his friends, and no matter what she thought of him now, he was her friend.

"I want to know what you know about Grimoire Heart, and I mean everything." Ultear decided. Natsu nodded in acceptance before he started walking away.

"Hey where are you going? You promised to tell me what you know!" The time mage demanded. The dragon slayer turned and smirked at her.

"You know how it works, you don't receive payment until you finish the job." He said cheekily. As he began to walk away, the dark haired women couldn't help but throw one final jab at the pinkette.

"It seems you were wrong about Deliora being dead. Instead it almost killed you and your friends. Honestly Salamander, it was quite an interesting show." She said cheerfully. As she expected Natsu froze, his back facing towards her. For a few moments he simply stood there, as if seething in anger. As the seconds became minutes Ultear started to grow nervous. After the way they had ended their last meeting, she was ready to bolt at any moment.

'Maybe I went too far.' She wondered. Before she could say anything to the dragon slayer, he began to speak.

"You know your mother was powerful, powerful enough to almost completely kill Deliora. Nothing Lyon could have done would have stopped it from dying, spells or otherwise. When the Moon Drip broke the Iced Shell, the demon should have gave one last roar before crumbling to dust. Instead someone stopped it, someone with enough power to completely overwhelm you mother spirit. They revived Deliora, setting it loose on the island. I don't know if your mother's spirit was able to survive but I hope she did, so that way one day you and her can sit down and have a chat." He said quietly. Now it was Ultear's turn to freeze, processing everything he had said. Natsu waited for her reply, choosing to remain where he was.

"W-why are you telling me this?" She managed to say. The dragon slayer shrugged, glancing over his shoulder at her.

"Think of it as forward payment." He said before walking away, leaving the time mage to her thoughts. As he walked through the jungle, the moon shone over head, winking in and out as he passed under trees and other vegetation. Around him the leaves mingled with the shadows, creating a strange and tense atmosphere. Suddenly Natsu stopped, turning towards a large shadow that was sitting between two trees. For several minutes he stood there, watching the mass of darkness. It was as if he was waiting for something to happen. Finally the dragon slayer's patience ran out.

"How long are you going to pretend that you're hidden?" He snapped. In the shadow, someone chuckled.

"Just until you acknowledged me." Zeref said as he stepped into the light. Natsu's first thought was to attack him, to beat his face in for for releasing Deliora. But no matter how much he wanted to, he knew he couldn't do it. He barely had any magic and what he did have he had used to fix Ultear's lacrima. All he could do was talk, and hope that Zeref left the others alone.

"What do you want?" The dragon slayer demanded.

"I simply wished to congratulate you on the defeat of Deliora, and of acquiring your new power." The dark mage said. Natsu snorted in disbelief.

"That can't be the only reason you're here." He argued.

"Why can't I just be here to say a job well done? After all, you winning benefits us both. I'm able to see your power and you were able to protect your family." Zeref replied peacefully. Natsu growled in anger, stepping closer to the dark mage.

"Stay away from my family!" He hissed. The black haired man tilted his head in consideration.

"Or what, you'll kill me?" He asked, a coy smile flickering across his lips. Natsu scowled in annoyance. Zeref had him backed into a corner and they both knew it.

"Just stay away from them. They're not a part of this and they never will be, so there's no reason involving them in our affairs." He defended. To his surprise, the death mage gave him a sympathetic look.

"You say that now, but they will find out, no matter how hard you try and keep it from them. It would be best for you, and everyone else, to tell them on your own terms. That way you can control what they know and prevent them from causing any damage to our plans. Also, if they find out from someone else, how do you think they will feel, knowing you kept this hidden from them?" Zeref explained gently. Natsu stared at him in shock, unable to even form a coherent thought. Here was Zeref, the man that had single handedly killed all of his family, giving him advice about his friends! The dragon slayer couldn't even begin to understand how their conversation had taken such a turn. Finally he managed to gather his thoughts.

"Why? Why are you telling me this?" He breathlessly asked. An unknown emotion flickered across Zeref's face before he returned to his usual smile.

"Because no matter what you think of me, I'm here to help you reach your goal. It may be to protect your friends, it may be something else, but if it leads to you killing me then I'll help you as much as possible." He answered calmly. A moment later, Natsu had grabbed him by the front of his tunic, bringing them face to face.

"I don't need your _help_." Natsu said angrily. "The last time you tried to help me, it almost killed Erza."

"Deliora was a test, not my attempt at help. The next time I test you, your friends will hopefully be strong enough to survive on their own." Zeref explained. The dragon slayer paled at the idea.

"There's going to be more tests?" He asked. The dark mage frowned, removing the other's hands off of his clothes.

"But of course. With all of the knowledge you have of the future, the 'challenges' you will face will be too easy for you. Take this mission for example, you would have gained absolutely nothing from it if you had continued on as you had before. But when I tested you, you were able to gain a new form, this Demonic Fire Dragon Mode. Really the name is quite ironic, or maybe it's fate?" Zeref trailed off, muttering to himself. Natsu ignored him, thinking instead about what he had said.

'As much as I hate to admit it, he has a point. When I planned on going on this quest, I only wanted Gray to confront his past, I never expected to gain anything from this. But with Deliora, I was able to gain this new form and completely crush it. Maybe having more would be… useful.' He decided.

"These tests might be… helpful, in helping me learn how to use my new power and to keep my skills sharp." The dragon slayer begrudgingly admitted.

"I'm glad we were able to reach an agreement." Zeref said happily but Natsu scowled at him.

"However, I only want you to give me a test when my family isn't around." He said firmly, leaving no room for argument. The dark mage frowned at the decision, as if it annoyed him.

"How am I supposed to do that when you are always around them?" He asked. Natsu began to walk away, throwing the answer over his shoulder.

"You're an immortal death mage who can send people back in time, I'm sure you can figure something out." He said. For a moment there was silence, then a peal of laughter rang through the forest. The dragon slayer scowled in anger as the sound assaulted his ears. It was just too damn cheerful!

'Just ignore it and get back to the village. The others will probably be partying right now, so it will be easy to sneak back into the compound.' He thought, pushing the noise out of his head and heading toward the village.

 **-At the same time-**

Lucy was surprised. The villagers had pulled out all of the stops on this party, bringing out several tables as well as some food and drink. The party was quite festive, but the blonde felt that something was missing. Looking around, she realized that she hadn't seen Mystogan the entire time.

'I wonder where he is?" She thought worriedly. Spotting Gray in the crowd, without his shirt of course, she began to head towards him. Before she could reach him though, Erza stepped in her way. Lucy gulped nervously as the knight frowned at her.

"W-what's going on Erza?" The blonde asked.

"Have you seen Natsu anywhere?" The redhead asked, seemingly ignoring the question. Inwardly, the spirit mage sighed in relief as she realized the other woman wasn't angry with her.

"I haven't seen him since he disappeared earlier." She answered. Erza's frown deepened but she nodded in understanding.

"If you see him, can you please tell me? I need to speak with him." The redhead asked distractedly. Before Lucy could say anything, the knight had already walked off in search of the dragon slayer.

"Yeah, sure, I'll get right on that." The blonde muttered to herself. Pushing it to the back of her mind, she continued over to Gray. As she approached the ice mage he noticed her and stood up, dusting off his pants and excusing himself from the female demons.

"What's up Luce?" He asked when he reached her.

"Do you know where Mystogan is? I can't find him anywhere." She asked.

"The last time I remember seeing him was right before the party started. I think he was heading towards our hut." He answered with a shrug. The blonde looked at him in confusion.

"Why would he be in there?" She wondered. Gray shrugged again.

"He doesn't seem like the type to like parties, I mean he didn't join in when Natsu returned to the guild. I'm sure he just wants to be alone right now." He suggested. Lucy sighed, nodding in agreement.

"Alright, thanks Gray." She said quietly. The ice mage flashed her a smile before walking off, no doubt to try the food. The blonde stayed still, thinking about Mystogan.

'Gray's probably right about him wanting to be alone but he's hurt, what if he needs my help? I should at least check on him and see if he needs my help.' She thought. Making her decision, she made her way over to their hut. She paused right outside the doorway, suddenly feeling nervous.

'What's wrong with you Lucy? You're a member of Fairy Tail, you've helped take down a dark guild and stop Deliora, and you can't even talk to one of your guild mates?' She berated herself. Taking a couple of deep breaths to calm herself, she walked into the hut.

In the middle of the room sat Mystogan. He had a roll of bandages and he was trying to wrap them around his head. The only problem was that he still had his mask and cap on. The two of them froze, Lucy standing in the doorway and Mystogan holding the bandages to his head. Suddenly the roll slipped from the masked mage's hands, spilling onto the floor and covering him with bandages.

Seeing the stoic man wrapped in bandages, looking like a poorly done mummy, Lucy couldn't help herself, she giggled. After she finished laughing she walked over and began to help Mystogan with his bindings.

"Thank you Lucy." He said, smiling at her. She smiled back, shaking her head in amusement.

"What were you trying to do?" She asked, removing the last of the bandages. The masked mage scratched his cheek sheepishly.

"I was trying to dress my wound." He explained. Lucy looked at him in confusion.

"Why don't you just take off your mask? It would be a lot easier." She pointed out.

"The hut isn't exactly meant for privacy. Anyone can just walk in when I have my mask off and see my face, and I'd rather not have that happen." Mystogan answered. The blonde frowned at his response.

"Why do you want to hide your identity from everyone around you, including us?" She asked sadly. The masked mage sighed, standing up and walking over to her. He gently put his hands on her shoulders, making her look up at him.

"It's not that I want to hide, it's that I have no choice." He explained.

"But why are you forced to wear a mask every second of the day? Is it because of your father, is he somehow involved?" Lucy asked quietly. Mystogan stiffened slightly before shaking his head.

"My father isn't part of this, he doesn't even know where I am. No, I wear this for another reason. If I walked around without my mask, I could be mistaken for… someone else." He spoke slowly, as if trying to carefully pick his words.

"Who do you look like, and how could you even be mistaken for someone else?" She demanded, causing the S-class mage to sigh once more.

"Who I look like doesn't matter, and as to how I could be mistaken for someone else… let's just say that another man and I look a lot alike." He explained but the blonde still seemed upset.

"But just because you look similar doesn't mean that you should be forced to hide like a coward! You should be proud of who you are and not care about what anyone else thinks!" She said angrily. A moment later she gasped, slapping her hands across her mouth.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that!" She squeaked out. To her surprise Mystogan chuckled, grabbing her hands and pulling them from her face. He smiled at her, a full blown smile that she could see even with his mask. The sight caused her to blush in embarrassment, even as he began to talk.

"No, there's no need to apologize, you're right. I shouldn't have to hide who I am, but unfortunately, that is how my life is.' He shook his head when she tried to speak up. 'The other man has the right to do what he wants because he made his mark on the world before I did. And as for being proud for who I am, I'm already more proud than I could ever be. I'm a mage of Fairy Tail, the strongest guild in all of Fiore. I'm friends with some of the greatest people of Earthland, including you, and I wouldn't take my mask off for anything if it meant being apart from you or any of the others." He said warmly, gazing down at her in a mixture of happiness and pride. Lucy's blush intensified at his words. She tried to speak but nothing would come out of her mouth. Thankfully she was saved from trying to form a coherent thought.

"Am I interrupting something here?" Natsu asked, standing just inside the doorway. The blonde slowly looked down at how her and Mystogan's hands were still joined together. She didn't think it was possible, but her blush grew so much that she could feel it burning her face.

"Nowe'renotdoinganything!I'llseeyoulater!" She squeaked, letting go of Mystogan's hands and running past the dragon slayer. Once she was outside of the hut and away from the two mages, she finally managed to control her blushing.

'Geez Lucy, what were you doing back there? He says something like that and you just fall apart!' She berated herself. Sighing, she headed off to find Erza and tell her where Natsu was.

 **-Back inside the hut-**

"So, did you two have a nice chat?" Natsu asked, grinning widely. Mystogan coughed, looking away with a light blush dusting his cheeks.

"It was… pleasant." He decided, nodding with his words. A moment later he groaned, clutching his head in pain. The dragon slayer was next to him in an instant, making the taller man sit down.

"Take off your mask so I can see the damage." He ordered. The masked mage shook his head but winced as another bolt of pain lanced through his head.

"We both know that anyone can walk in at any moment and see my face, that's not something I'm willing to risk." He argued. Natsu simply smirked at him, tapping the side of his head.

"Don't worry Mysty, I'll keep an ear out." He said confidently. Mystogan stared at him for several seconds, not even twitching at the nickname, before sighing in resignation.

"If you weren't a dragon slayer I would be worried right now." He said, reaching for his mask. Slowly, he peeled off the piece of fabric covering his face, revealing the signature tattoo that cut over his right eye. He hesitated for a moment longer before pulling off his cap with a swift tug. A large portion of his naturally blue hair shot up, but a smaller part of it remained matted to his scalp, stuck together with blood and dirt. The wound was a gash on the left side of his head, cutting across his temple. Natsu frowned at the wound before he walked over to a small table inside the hut.

"At least there's a wash bin." He said, bringing over a basin filled with water. Inside was a rag, used for washing your face, or in this case, for cleaning a wound. The dragon slayer pulled out the washcloth, making sure to squeeze out the water, before gently dabbing at Mystogan's wound.

"So what did you and Lucy talk about?" Natsu asked, partly out of curiosity but also to distract his friend. Mystogan glanced at him in surprise but shrugged a moment later.

"We talked about my mask and why I wear it." He answered simply. The pinkette made a noise of recognition, cleaning out his friend's hair of the dirt and blood. There was no reason to talk about it, they both understood why he wore it and how he felt about it. There was a few seconds of silence as Natsu finished his work. He put the washcloth into the now muddy looking water and put the basin back on the table. He walked back over to Mystogan and grabbed the bandages. As Natsu began to wrap the other man's head, he noticed how quiet the masked mage was being.

"What's bothering you?" The dragon slayer asked. The masked mage winced at being caught but shook his head.

"It's nothing important." He assured his friend. Natsu raised an eyebrow in disbelief but Mystogan shook his head again. "Don't worry, if it becomes something important then I'll tell you. I promise." He assured his friend. The dragon slayer thought about it for a moment before nodding in acceptance.

"Just remember that if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here." He assured Mystogan. The masked mage nodded in acceptance before deciding to change the subject.

"Where did you disappear to earlier?" He asked. To his surprise, Natsu chuckled nervously. Mystogan was sure that the pinkette would have scratched the back of his head if his hands weren't full.

"Well you see, I had to leave the village so I could talk to Ultear." The dragon slayer explained. The masked mage's head whipped around to look at his friend in shock. It turned out to be a mistake as he messed up the bandages. Natsu simply sighed as he started over again.

"What was the councilwoman doing here? When did she even show up on the island?" Mystogan demanded.

"She's been here before we even accepted the job request. She was pretending to be a mage called Zalty who was teaching Lyon how to break the Iced Shell. When I fought her, I sealed away her communication lacrima so she couldn't contact Siegrain." The dragon slayer explained. The S-class mage shot him a sharp look, alarm written across his face.

"You mean that S-" He began to say but Natsu cut him off with a sigh.

"Yes that Siegrain, the evil looking council member that's Jellal's 'twin' brother and your Earthland counterpart." The pinkette answered tiredly. His friend glanced at him in concern but didn't comment on it.

"What did you and Ultear talk about?" He asked, deciding to move on.

"I asked her if she was interested in accepting a job request." Natsu said, wincing slightly as he recalled the conversation. "She… accepted but she said she wanted something else instead of money." Mystogan waited for the dragon slayer to continue but when he didn't the masked mage cleared his throat.

"What did she want for payment?" He prompted. Natsu held the bandages with one hand before using the other to sheepishly scratch the back of his head.

"She wanted to know everything I had on Grimoire Heart and how I found out all of the information." He said hesitantly. The S-class mage stared at him in shock before quietly sighing, dragging a hand across his face.

"Natsu, please tell me you didn't accept her insane terms." He said hopefully. However his hopes were dashed when he saw the pinkette chuckle nervously. Mystogan sighed even more deeply this time, but before he could chew out the dragon slayer he began talking.

"I know, I know, it was a really bad idea. But I needed her to accept the job, she's the only one who can even attempt it. And I made sure that the only thing she would find out is what I know, not how I know it. That way our friend will remain safe." He assured the masked mage.

"And what happens when you tell the councilwoman something that will immediately give away who told you everything you know? I know you Natsu, you're not one to go back on your word. You'll tell her everything you know about Grimoire Heart, even if it gets both you and our friend in trouble." Mystogan demanded angrily. There was a moment of silence before he suddenly sighed in resignation. "You know what you're doing and I won't stop you, I just hope that it's worth it." The dragon slayer perked up at his words, giving his friend his usual wide grin.

"Don't worry it is, just listen to my idea!" He said cheerfully. Once he had outlined his plan, the masked mage actually looked impressed.

"That… could actually work. It would all depend on if Ultear is willing to go through with her end of the bargain." He said, thinking about the possibilities. Natsu nodded rapidly, his grin still present.

"Don't worry, Ultear isn't one to go back on a deal either. Besides, leaving something half finished isn't her style and she'll want to do the job right, if only to rub it in my face." He said confidently. Mystogan once again sighed as he contemplated about his friend's trust in others. As he thought, the dragon slayer tightened the bandages one more time before cutting them apart. He had wrapped a couple of lines around the masked mage's head, creating a white halo with blue, spiky, hair on the inside.

"There! That should hold until we get back to Magnolia. Hopefully there's no infection." He said, putting the remaining bandages back on the table. Mystogan nodded in agreement, standing up and stretching his stiff muscles.

"I'll have Grandine take a look at it after we reach the guild." He decided. Natsu paused what he was doing before suddenly laughing in amusement. The masked mage raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"What's so funny?" He asked. The dragon slayer's laughter died out to a quiet chuckle before he finally got it under control.

"I always wondered if you two knew each other." He said mirthfully.

"Yes, she and I have known each other almost as long as I've been a Fairy Tail mage." The masked mage explained, chuckling.

"Does she you yell at you whenever you stay around too long?" Natsu asked, grinning in amusement.

"While she's waving a broom around like it's a sword." Mystogan deadpanned. A moment later the two burst into laughter. They laughed for a few moments before the dragon slayer suddenly stiffened.

"Erza." He whispered. The two of them were frozen still for a single, excruciating moment before they leaped into action. Mystogan leaped for his mask and cap while the pinkette scrambled for the entrance of the hut. He slipped outside and slammed the door close, spinning around to come face to face with the armored knight.


	22. Chapter 22

**NinjaFang1331: Thanks!**

 **Lordus: Yeah, sorry. I feel the same with Mystogan and Lucy but Mashima probably couldn't fit it into the story. With Ultear, Natsu is sorry for what happened last time so he's trying to make their relationship better, plus he needs her help.**

 **midnightscar17: Yeah, and next chapter we will see how awkward it is between them, even I don't know**

 **Guest: Yeah, Erza want's some answers and we all know how she is like when she wants answers**

 **EtherealTulip: Slowly and one word at a time. On a more serious note, I hope you enjoy/enjoyed the latest chapter**

 **Angryhenry: That's for sure**

 **Meazm: Yeah sorry about that**

 **roadwarriorjr: Don't worry, I never specified on where to vote so it's fine with a PM. Thanks for voting!**

 **rajdiangelo: You're absolutely right, though she can start to have feelings for Natsu. Don't worry, they won't be together until after the Tower of Heaven arc.**

 **Mat: I'm glad you enjoy it so much. Don't worry, I may be slow on updates but I have no plan on abandoning the story**

 **nbuns1: I plan on finishing this story, however I don't know if I will create a second fanfic. This one will take a long time to finish and I don't know if I will have the energy to make another one. We'll just have to see.**

 **WolfGaming: Yeah sorry about that, I actually wanted to finish the Galuna Island arc the last chapter but it started becoming too long and it had been a while since I had updated so I figured just to end it here. Also sorry for the cliffhanger in this chapter as well.**

 **A surya teja: I will try to update as soon as possible, but I am pretty busy this week so we'll have to see**

 **DdraigTrueEmperor9: I'm so glad you liked the fight, I was afraid I had made it too short. I honestly love Ultear's character, she was never truly evil and even when she was good she still seeked redemption. With Zeref's test, they will become more difficult and I have a few ideas but I do needed to think of more. Poor Mystogan, he and Lucy get along so well but he can't tell her anything important because it could put her in danger or him and Natsu in peril. Also, that thing with Jellal in the latest chapter, it really made no sense. But Rouge suddenly appearing and giving Sting his magic didn't make anymore sense so we might as well go with it. The talk with Natsu and Erza will be… interesting to say the least. Thanks for answering my question about your first language. My first language is english, though my madre's first language is spanish and I am currently taking spanish classes. Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Kazuka746: Yeah, I'm very sorry about that. There was drama, then some other things happened, it's just been a mess. Thank you for the great review and I will try to update as soon as possible. Don't worry I already have a chapter written, I just need to post it.**

 **ShadraRune: Thank you very much, I hope you enjoy this chapter as well**

 **ANIMEISEVERYTHINGILOVE: Thank you for the review, and I am sorry for the problem you noticed. I try to keep as close to the original story as possible but sometimes I may mess up. With Mystogan I've always liked him, I just wish that Hiro had done more with him.**

 **ANNOUNCEMENT: The poll is officially over. With 5 votes for continue, the story will not be edited until the end.**

 **P.S. I'm sorry this chapter is so late! A lot of things happened the past month or so and I've been trying to deal with that. I PROMISE YOU, I will not abandon this story and I am still writing chapters out. If you've stuck around this far I wish to say thank you for being so patient with me.**

The knight and the dragon slayer stood outside of the hut, staring at each other. Erza had her arms folded across her chest and she was giving the pinkette a stern glare while he looked at her nervously. The stare off continued until Natsu scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"So how's the party been?" He asked, mentally wincing as soon as he asked.

"Where did you disappear to?" Erza demanded, completely ignoring his question. She knew he was just trying to distract her.

"I had to go for a walk, to… clear my head." The dragon slayer explained hesitantly. The redhead raised an eyebrow, clearly showing disbelief.

"So after we destroyed the moon drip spell, you simply left the village to go think? About what?" She asked incredulously. To her surprise, Natsu frowned worriedly.

"About Deliora and everything that just happened." He said quietly. Erza's gaze softened, the memory of what he had said flashing through her mind. Instead of continuing to chew him out, she put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Natsu glanced at her in confusion.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked gently. He blinked in surprise before frowning, seemingly debating with himself. Finally he smiled at her, nodding gratefully.

"Yeah, I'd love to." He said. Erza smiled back but on the inside she was hurting.

'He had to think about whether or not to tell me what was bothering him.' She thought sadly. It surprised her how much it hurt that he didn't trust her enough to immediately tell her what was wrong. She pushed the feeling away and motioned to the hut behind the dragon slayer.

"It would be best if we talked in there." She suggested but Natsu frowned and shook his head.

"We can't, Mystogan is using it right now." He explained.

"For what?" Erza couldn't help the question from slipping out of her mouth but thankfully, Natsu didn't seem to care.

"He's finishing applying some bandages and fixing his mask." He said. The knight immediately fixed him with a steely gaze.

"How badly was he injured?" She asked seriously. The dragon slayer paused for a moment, glancing behind him before shrugging at her question.

"I looked at it myself, it's nothing too serious. He might have a small scar or something but I bandaged it myself so it should be fine until we reach Magnolia." He estimated. Erza nodded though she had a frown on her her face.

"I should still take a look at just in case." She decided. She tried to walk around him but he stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

"He's fine, he just needs a moment." Natsu insisted. The redhead looked at him with a mixture of confusion and annoyance.

"Let me see him." She said sternly but he shook his head, refusing to back down. They stared down for several moments, the party continuing around them while they had their stare off. Suddenly the door behind Natsu opened, making both of them jump. Mystogan stepped out and looked at the two of them in consideration. Erza immediately looked to him, running a critical eye over his head where he had been injured. His cap was still stained with blood and dirt but it was as clean as the masked mage had probably managed. She could see a line of white bandages poking out from his cap and running over several strands of blue hair.

'Wait, blue hair?!' She wondered. She looked at his shock of hair as if seeing it for the first time, horror slowly growing in her gut.

'B-But he couldn't be him, he can't be Jellal?!' She thought worriedly. She was so panicked that she couldn't even move, but thankfully the other two mages didn't seem to notice it.

"I'm sorry if I worried you Erza, I'm perfectly alright. Natsu helped bandage my wound and I'll be fine for the rest of our stay here. I had to adjust my mask before I left the hut, that's why you couldn't talk in there before, but now you can." Mystogan explained, moving to the side to allow the two mages access to the building. His calm explanation almost made her scream in panic. Instead, she forced it down and nodded in acceptance.

"Thank you, I'll be inside waiting for you." She said the last part to Natsu before walking into the hut, moving so stiffly that it was all that stopped her from running into the building. Still, she didn't stop walking until she touched the wall on the other side. Turning around she saw Natsu holding the door open, preparing to follow her in. The only reason he hadn't yet was because he was having a hushed conversation with Mystogan, or whoever that man really was. Taking the time given to her, Erza tried to examine the masked mage's face. His mask covered up everything below the eyes, including a certain tattoo he may have had.

'It seems like he has it higher than usual.' She thought. Indeed it seemed that Mystogan had pulled his mask so high that it was somewhat covering his eyes.

'Though it's impossible to tell if he meant to do that or if he was simply rushed on putting it on.' She decided just as the two men finished their conversation. Mystogan walked off towards where the other Fairy Tail mages were partying while Natsu quietly closed the door behind him. He looked at her and smiled nervously, as if suddenly realizing what he was doing. He walked over to the middle of the hut and sat down, motioning for the redhead to join him. She paused for a long, single, moment as she debated on whether or not to trust the man in front of her.

'It's Natsu for crying out loud, you can trust him.' The rational side of her protested. But her emotions were crying out to lunge at the dragon slayer and shake him until he told her if that man with him was Mystogan… or Jellal.

"Are you alright Erza?" Natsu's voice broke through her thoughts, making her jump in surprise. She looked over to see him studying her with a concerned look. Seeing how worried he was helped her recover from her shock.

"I'm fine, I just had to gather my thoughts." She explained. She mentally winced at how lame the excuse sounded but Natsu seemed to accept it, nodding in understanding. She used the chance to join Natsu on the floor of the hut. The question of Mystogan still bothered her but she wasn't going to explode and start demanding answers and time soon.

'For all I know, Mystogan could be someone else with blue hair, it is somewhat common.' She assured herself. A small part of her argued against the fact but she pushed it down by promising herself that she would ask about the masked mage the first chance she had. But now, she had to talk to her friend.

"How are you feeling?" She asked. Natsu frowned, his eyes becoming slightly unfocused as he thought about it. Finally he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"To be honest, I'm angry. Deliora shouldn't have been alive, it should have been a dead husk that couldn't even hurt a fly. Instead it broke free, destroyed most of the island, and almost killed you!" He said angrily, clenching his fists in rage.

"It wasn't your fault Natsu, you couldn't have seen it coming." She assured him, resting a hand on his shoulder. He hissed in pain, jerking back as if he had been burned.

'A bitter irony.' She thought humorlessly as she frowned at the dragon slayer.

"You aggravated your injuries when you took your jaunt through the forest, let me look at them." She ordered but he shook his head.

"No I'm fine, see?" He asked, rotating his shoulder a few times. On the second spin he suddenly winced, dropping his arm and groaning. Erza simply sighed at his actions, grabbing the roll of bandages off of the table and kneeling next to the dragon slayer.

"Just let me do it, think of it as my thank you for saving me." She said, beginning to unwrap the strips of cloth around his head. He went still at her words, making her think that he decided to let her help him. But then he whispered something, so quietly that she completely missed what he said.

"What is it Natsu?" She asked gently. He glanced at her, his eyes flashing with something she used to see in the mirror, guilt.

"It was my fault you were hurt in the first place." He murmured. Erza paused in her work, gently gripping his shoulders and looking him in the eyes.

"I'll only say this only one more time Natsu, this wasn't your fault. Nothing you could have done would have changed Deliora from breaking out of the ice." She assured him. To her surprise, he growled, pulling away from her and glaring at the wall.

"You don't know the full story, you don't know what I did." He said angrily. "It's true that Deliora would have been freed, but it's my damn fault that it was still alive!" Erza could feel her blood began to boil as she glared at him.

"I don't know the full story? Then tell me how the hell this is somehow your fault!" She cried, pushing him to the floor. Not suspecting the sudden shove, the dragon slayer tumbled to the floor. He shot to his feet, glaring back at her with the fury of a dragon. She refused to back down though, meeting his glare with a steely gaze.

"You want to know how I'm to blame, how it's my fault? It's because of me that Deliora was still alive. It was supposed to be dead, deader than dead, so dead that it would have fallen apart from a fucking breeze! Instead 'he' brought it back, he gave it life and sent it to test me! He was willing to kill you and Mystogan and everyone else on this island simply to see how strong I had become! If I hadn't been here then it wouldn't have happened and you wouldn't have been hurt." His face twisted into a pained expression. "If I had just stayed away from the island, form this job request, then you wouldn't have been almost killed by that thing. That's why it's my fault, no matter what you or Mystogan may say, I'm the cause of all of this." He finished quietly. He took a shuddering breath before slowly sliding down to his knees, seemingly drained of the will to live. Erza could only stare at him, trying to understand what he had said.

After several, long minutes of silence the redhead moved. She kneeled down in front of the dragon slayer and took him into an embrace. She could feel him stiffen underneath her and it hurt to feel that, to realise that he wasn't comfortable with her. But her feelings weren't important at the moment, what mattered right now was comforting Natsu.

"I understand what you're going through." She said, shushing him when he began to argue. "You're a hero Natsu, you always have been. You think that you can save everyone and keep them from ever being hurt," She paused for a moment before pushing forward. "just like what you did with Elfman and Mira. But it's impossible, you can't be everywhere at once, nor can you be expected to always be there in our time of need." She could feel as the dragon slayer released a long, shuddering, sigh that was followed by a moment or two of silence.

"What am I supposed to do then? Just watch my friends die because they don't have the strength needed?" He asked quietly.

"No. You need to trust us to handle our own problems, to be able to stand on our own two feet. Mystogan and I are both S-class mages, we are more than capable of taking care of ourselves. Yes, sometimes there will be people who we won't be able to defeat, but you don't have to blame yourself if we lose." She explained.

"What if I try to stop you because I know your limitations even better than you do?" He suddenly asked.

"You still owe it to us to let us fight first, so we can find our limitations on our own. That's the only way we'll grow after all." She didn't know why he sounded so sure, but she did know that someone could only grow if they were faced with an overwhelming force. After all, that's how she activated her magic, when the guards and the dogs attacked her friends and it seemed like they would lose the battle and be imprisoned once more…

She was pulled out of her thoughts when Natsu raised his arms, wrapping her in a warm and comforting hug. She was still for a moment before sinking into his embrace, enjoying the heat that he emanated. They stayed that way for a few moments, two friends comforting each other for the past, and the present. Finally the dragon slayer spoke up.

"You're right, I need to let you and the others fight your own battles. I did say once that you needed to become stronger, but with Deliora I forgot that and only focused on protecting you." He pulled back and looked the redhead in the eye. "You are a strong, and wonderful women Erza, and you are more than capable of taking care of yourself. I shouldn't become distracted by being angry with myself, I should be making sure that you're happy."

Erza blushed happily at his words, glad that she had finally gotten through to him. After their last serious conversation, she wasn't sure how he would react to her words. Thankfully though, he was more willing to listen to her than he had been last time.

'Because I brought up his old friends.' She realized. Their talk in the woods had been going along fine until she had started asking for details, that was when he had suddenly walked off. She wondered if he would do the same if she asked about Mystogan's identity. But before she could, Natsu held up the bandages that had been discarded in their argument.

"If you're willing, can you help me finish this?" He asked sheepishly. Erza smiled at him and nodded, leaning forward to continue unwrapping the strip of cloth around his head. As she worked he kept as still as possible, more than was needed. It took her a couple of seconds to figure out why he was so still.

'He's letting me bandage him to make me happy.' She realized with a smile. She knew he didn't like to be taken care of, but here he was, allowing her to check his injuries because he didn't want her to worry about him. It was sweet, in a way.

Erza continued her work in silence, Natsu comfortable with staying quiet and she being lost in her thoughts. It continued until she ordered him to take off his shirt so she could do the bandages on his chest. He complied and she began to unwrap the bandages around his arms and torso. However, she paused in her work as she looked at his bare chest. Cutting diagonally across his torso was a long and jagged scar that was somewhat faded.

'That was when he had met Mystogan.' She realized, remembering how the masked man had carried Natsu into the guild, wounded and unconscious. Pushing the memory away, she focused on another scar on his chest. It was located on his left ribcage and stretched across his side and ended near his back. It was fresher than the other one, but not by much. It looked like someone had tried to blast Natsu and the dragon slayer had barely dodged it, having it hit his side and leaving what must have been a serious injury

"Natsu, where did you get this scar?" She asked, pressing lightly on the mark. The dragon slayer twitched slightly at her touch, as if the sudden contact had surprised him.

"I had to go visit a friend, but he wasn't too happy to see me." Natsu explained slowly, choosing his words carefully.

"If he did this to you, he's not much of a friend." She said, tracing the scar with her fingers.

"He and I didn't have never really gotten along very well, it's usually how he says hello. Another friend of mine does the same thing." He explained. She felt like he would have shrugged if she hadn't been bandaging him.

'Which I need to finish!' She realized with a blush. She stopped feeling Natsu's scar and continued her bandaging, trying to ignore her embarrassment. She quickly finished his chest and began to work on his arms. While she did, she remembered the question she had been meaning to ask the dragon slayer.

"Natsu, do you know who Mystogan is?" She asked hesitantly. The pinkette gave her a curious look before nodding.

"Of course I know who he is." Erza's heart stopped for a moment at his words, trepidation suddenly filling her mind. "He's Mystogan." She brain stopped for a moment at his words, then she facepalmed.

"I mean besides the name goes by. Do you know his real name?" She groaned out. He looked at her, his face flickering with what might have been amusement, and then he became serious nodding once more.

"Yeah, I know his real name." Erza waited for him to continue, but when she realised he wasn't she gave him a glare.

"Are you going to tell me or not?" She demanded. To her surprise, Natsu gave her a sympathetic look.

"I'm not going to tell you.' He held up a hand when she began to interrupt her. 'Now here me out, I can't tell you because it's not my secret to tell. Mystogan has always been an outsider, he's felt like he doesn't belong, and that makes it hard for him to trust others. Hell, the only reason he even trusts me is because I forced him to! He has his reasons for wearing a mask, and they're damn good ones." He trailed off, running a hand through his hair. The two of them were silent for a few moments before Erza spoke up.

"Can he be trusted?" She asked quietly as she looked at her hands.

"Yes. The mask may hide his face, but it doesn't hide who he really is. He's a Fairy Tail mage through and through, and no matter who he looks like, he's my partner and I'll lay down my life to protect him." Natsu said, conviction ringing in his voice. She looked up to see a fiery determination burning in eyes, something she had used to see in the old Natsu. After a second, the redhead nodded and continued her bandaging once more. She knew from his look that he wasn't going to tell her anything else about Mystogan, but that didn't stop her from thinking about what she had learned.

'Natsu knows his real name, but he refuses to tell me what it is. Master definitely knows who Mystogan really is, but he won't tell me. Who else could know about his identity?' She racked her brain in an attempt to come up with someone who knew Mystogan as well as Natsu did, but she kept coming up blank. Suddenly, like a strike of lightning, which was ironic, she thought of a name.

'Laxus! He could probably tell me everything I need to know about Mystogan. With Laxus being the Master's grandson, he'll probably know who Mystogan really is.' She decided, promising to question the blonde man as soon as she returned. She didn't like him, but if Mystogan was who she thought he was, then she would have to put aside her distaste for the lightning mage. With that decided, she focused back on her bandaging of Natsu. She had finished one arm and she was halfway done with the other, which she wrapped up rather quickly. She tore off the extra wrappings and finished tucking the bandage before nodding to the dragon slayer, signaling that she was done. He nodded back before flexing his arm a few times, checking the bandages. Once he was satisfied he grinned at her.

"Thanks Erza!" He said cheerfully. She smiled back at him, glad to see his smile again. However, as soon as she saw it, it disappeared as the dragon slayer suddenly frowned, looking towards the door.

"We have some company." He said seriously. She looked at him in surprise before glancing at the entrance herself. She couldn't sense anyone on the other side, but she didn't doubt his senses.

"Who and how many?" She asked, slipping into her regular self. The dragon slayer stood up and began to walk towards the door.

"Three, they just entered the village." He informed her, opening the door. Erza stood up and followed him, walking towards the entrance of the settlement.

"Are they part of the cultists?" She asked, gripping her sword in preparation for a fight. Natsu nodded at her question, though he put his hand on the pommel of her weapon, preventing her from drawing.

"It's the Cold Emperor's lieutenants but I don't think they're looking for a fight." He explained to her questioning glance. When they reached the gates, the other Fairy Tail mages were already there, along with most of the villagers.

"What do you want?" Mystogan asked them. The three underlings shuffled around nervously, looking everywhere but at the group in front of them. After a moment of silence, Yuka stepped forward.

"We wanted to apologize for what we tried to do to you and your village." He said, bowing to the village chieftain. His friends quickly followed his example. The chief examined them curiously, but before he could say anything Lucy cut in.

"You tried to wipe out the village with acid! You actually did destroy the village!" She said accusingly. Toby looked ashamed while Sherry shot the blonde an angry look. Yuka nodded and continued to bow.

"Yes we did, and we apologize for it." He said seriously. The chief looked at the trio again before sighing.

"Nobody was hurt from your actions, so I and my people forgive you." He decided. The villagers and the Fairy Tail mages looked uncomfortable at his decision, but before anyone could complain, Natsu and Erza walked up to the crowd.

"The past is in the past, you're sorry and that's what's important." The dragon slayer decided, approaching the trio. Yuka and Toby looked at him with trepidation, expecting an attack of some sort. To their surprise, Natsu simply stuck out his hand, smiling gently at them.

"You aren't evil, simply misguided. It's no reason why we can't be friends." He explained. Yuka glanced at his friends in conformation before grasping the dragon slayer's hand, shaking in agreement.

"Thank you." The blue haired man said. Natsu nodded before suddenly pulling him forward, draping an arm over the other's shoulders.

"Now come and join the party!" He said cheerfully, dragging Yuka with him. Toby and Sherry looked on in shock while Mystogan simply shrugged, turning to the two.

"You might as well join too, otherwise Natsu will just drag you with him." He told them. After a moment's hesitation they nodded and began to follow the dragon slayer and their companion.

It took a couple of minutes, but soon the party was back in full swing. Natsu had sat the three mages down in the middle of the village, making sure to have them surrounded by demons. They sat there awkwardly, trying to not draw too much attention to themselves. Unfortunately Natsu wouldn't let them, sitting down near them and drawing them into conversations. After a while, Yuka and the others finally began to relax, laughing at the dragon slayer's jokes and politely chatting with him and the villagers.

"Do you know where Lyon is?" Natsu suddenly asked. The three looked at him, startled by the sudden question.

"Why do you want to know?" Sherry asked suspiciously but the dragon slayer just smiled, unperturbed by her suspicion.

"I just want to invite him to the party, I figured he would enjoy some good food." He explained with a shrug. Sherry and her compatriots exchanged glances before Toby cautiously spoke up.

"The last time I saw him, he was at the ruins of the temple." He said, quickly digging back into his food in order to avoid Natsu's gaze. The pinkette nodded in thanks and stood up, heading to the village gates. Before he could reach it though, Erza stopped him.

'She was keeping an eye on me.' He realised, thinking of the few times he had caught her looking in his direction.

"Where are you going?" She asked seriously, her arms crossed.

"Just out to find Lyon." Natsu explained but it just caused her to frown.

"If he doesn't want to be here then he doesn't have to be. And besides, you've already gone out of the village once, I don't want you going out anymore with how injured you are." She argued. He mentally scoffed at her words, thinking about how his first trip had him meeting both Ultear and Zeref.

'This one will be practically tame in comparison.' He thought. Outloud he said, "He probably doesn't know about the party, and I promise to make sure not to do anything dangerous." She looked at him for a few seconds before sighing in defeat.

"Alright, just be careful, please." She asked him. He was surprised by her words, normally she wasn't this concerned by his health. Heck, she once beat him up until he learned the alphabet. But here she was, making sure that he wouldn't get hurt. He didn't know why she had a change of tone, but he found that he was glad that she worried about him. He put a hand on her arm, giving her a winning smile.

"I promise not to end up in any more fights until we get back to Magnolia." He vowed. Erza slipped into a more relaxed stance as she returned his grin with a smile of her own.

"Okay, thank you Natsu." She said gently. She hesitated for a moment, as if wanting to say something else, before abruptly saying her goodbyes and marching off. The dragon slayer shook his head at her antics and headed off to track down Lyon.

After he left the village, he began his trek through the jungle. The vegetation wasn't too annoying, however he did have to duck under an occasional branch or climb over a fallen tree that Deliora had thrown.

'The damage here is pretty extensive, at least the area around the village wasn't hurt too badly. Speaking of which, I should probably thank Ultear the next time I see her.' He thought. He continued walking until he reached the ruins of the temple, stopping at the edge and looking at the damage. Deliora had completely destroyed the temple, breaking the foundation and causing the bricks to sink into the cavern below. The area around the temple was now a rocky crater that was difficult to find purchase on. Thankfully Lyon hadn't walked through the ruins. Instead he was on the edge of the debris, sitting down and staring at the remains of the temple.

Natsu made sure to approach him cautiously. He had promised Erza that he wouldn't get into any more fights, but he wasn't sure how Lyon would react to seeing him. He walked over to the ice mage, making sure to make as much noise as possible so the white haired teen would hear him coming. Once he was standing next to Lyon, Natsu sat down next to him and joined him in looking out over the damage. The two of them were silent, two warriors looking over the damage wrought by their choices. Finally, Lyon broke the silence.

"This is my fault, isn't it?" He whispered. Natsu gave him a sideways glance before gently shaking his head.

"No, it's not." He said firmly. Lyon turned to look at him, disbelief etched across his face.

"How can you say that? I'm the reason Deliora broke free, I'm the reason that everyone was almost killed!" He cried, waving his arms frantically but Natsu shook his head again.

"None of this was your fault, you were tricked into doing what someone else wanted. They wanted Deliora freed and they knew that they could do it by using you." He explained. Lyon's disbelief turned to shock as he processed the dragon slayer's words.

"Who did it, who used me?" He finally managed to get out. Natsu frowned, thinking of how to phrase the answer.

"It was a member of the dark guild Grimoire Heart. She was hoping to control the demon but it wasn't something you could just lead on a leash. It went wild and started doing what it did best, destroy." He decided to say. Lyon seemed to accept what he said, nodding and turning back to gaze at the ruins.

"I've seen what Deliora was capable of. I watched him destroy an entire town and almost kill my master, yet I still thought I could destroy it. I was a foolish brat then and I'm still one now, but it seems that Gray is no longer the boy I grew up with. Now he's become a powerful mage in his own right, maybe he's even surpassed our master. And while he's become powerful, I've been thinking of nothing but becoming better than Ur. What a shitty apprentice I've become." He said sadly. He flinched in surprise when the dragon slayer slapped a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sure your master would say that you're a great apprentice, no matter what you've done." Natsu assured the ice mage, continuing to look out at the ruins. Lyon looked at him with an appraising look, as if checking the truth behind his words.

"What makes you so sure?" He asked curiously. The pinkette faintly smiled, reminiscing on his time spent with Igneel and Gildarts, and later Mystogan.

"Because if your teacher was as amazing as you and Gray say she was, then she cared about you like you were one of her own, a good parent can ever be angry at their children." He explained. Lyon became still as stone, his eyes flashing as he remembered all of the memories that he had of Ur. Natsu stayed with him, going back to look at the damage. A moment later the ice mage was glad the dragon slayer had, otherwise he might have seen a lone tear trail down his cheek.

Lyon quickly wiped it away, blinking in an attempt to prevent anymore tears from coming forth. He became distracted when the pinkette suddenly stood up, brushing some dirt off his pants.

"You're leaving already?" The ice mage asked, surprised by the other's actions. Natsu smiled down at him, nodding slightly at his question.

"I came simply to invite you to the party, if I've helped you that's just a bonus." He said, winking. Lyon chuckled at the other's actions before thinking about his unspoken request. After a moment he shook his head.

"Thank you Natsu, but I think it's best if I stay here. I still have some thinking to do." Lyon excused himself politely. The dragon slayer frowned but nodded in understanding.

"At least come tomorrow so you and Gray can talk." He decided. The ice mage nodded, turning back to stare at the ruins. Natsu began to walk away, but he stopped when Lyon called to him.

"You're a good friend Natsu, and that's why I'm trusting you with this. One day, Gray will need you to be there for him, and I'm expecting you to support him no matter what. If you don't, you'll answer to me. Do you understand Natsu?" Lyon asked. The dragon slayer was silent, looking off to where he knew the village, and his friends, to be.

"Of course, I see him as my brother and I would die for him without a moment's hesitation.' He looked over his shoulder at the ice mage's form, grinning slightly. 'Don't worry, he's in good hands." He promised before he walked off. Behind him, Lyon smiled.

 **-A little while later-**

Natsu walked through the gates of the village looking around at the remnants of the party. Most of the demons had gone to bed, turning in to nurse their aching heads. Some were sprawled throughout the village, already passed out before they had reached their homes.

From the mix of scents, the dragon slayer figured that Yuka and the others had left a couple of minutes ago, no doubt going to check on their fearless leader.

'It's getting kind of late, I should probably turn in too.' He thought, covering a yawn. Moving as quietly as possible, he made his way to the hut the Fairy Tail mages were staying at. Right before he reached the door though, Mystogan stepped out.

"Hello Natsu. I'm glad you didn't run into any trouble this time." He said, raising his hand in greeting. Natsu nodded in agreement, though he gave his friend a dirty look.

"You say that like you think I'm a trouble magnet." He said grumpily and the masked mage chuckled at his antics.

"I've spent two years with you, I _know_ that you're a magnet for trouble." He said, trying to hide a smile underneath his mask. Natsu saw it though and grinned along with him.

"Are the others asleep?" He asked curiously. He could hear Happy and Gray snoring but he couldn't make out anyone else's over the noise. Mystogan nodded, motioning to the hut behind him.

"Yes. We found another sleeping bag for Erza and she's in there with the others. The last time I checked they were all asleep, they had had a long day after all." He paused for a moment before pushing forward. "Erza told me that you went to go talk to Lyon, how did it go?"

"Fine." Natsu replied, shrugging. "He was blaming himself for what had happened and I had to explain to him it wasn't his fault." He blinked in surprise when Mystogan suddenly shook his head.

"What?" The dragon slayer asked, confused.

"It's so easy for you to help others when they are hurting, but it's so hard for you to help yourself." The masked mage explained, shaking his head again. Natsu began to argue the fact but he stopped, sighing and nodding in agreement.

"It's just hard to notice my own problems when I'm so busy with everyone else's." He said and Mystogan nodded in understanding.

"And that's why we're here, to help you with your problems, your guilt being a prime example." He explained, giving the dragon slayer a pointed look. The pinkette chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, I'm working on that." He said. The masked mage nodded, wrapped an arm around the other's shoulders and started to steer him to the hut.

"That's something for another day. For now, let's get some rest." Mystogan said and the dragon slayer nodded in agreement. They took their accustomed positions in the hut and soon enough, they were asleep.

 **-The Next Morning-**

Natsu covered another yawn that threatened to escape. Next to him, Lucy gave him a concerned look.

"Are you okay Natsu?" She asked worriedly but he just nodded.

"Yeah, just using that new form last night took a lot out of me. I think I might take a nap on the way back." He said, feeling another yawn coming on. The blonde gave him another concerned look before eventually accepting that he was only tired. Looking around she saw the entirety of the village on the beach, all out to see them go. On the surf was a galleon filled with pirates.

'I still don't know how Erza managed to steal a pirate ship.' Lucy thought, gazing at the ship. According to the redhead, the pirates were more than willing to take them back to mainland, free of charge. As she was thinking about the pirates, the village elder stepped out of the crowd.

"We almost forgot, we still owe you the reward on the job request." He said but to everyone's surprise, Natsu suddenly stepped forward.

"We don't need the money, but we would like the zodiac key please." He asked politely.

"Are you sure, we would be glad to pay you." Bobo said but the dragon slayer shook his head. There was a moment's pause before the chief nodded in acceptance, pulling a golden key out of a pocket and handing it to the pinkette. Lucy might have objected to him refusing the money, but she knew that the key was for her, so she wasn't too upset.

"Thank you, for everything you have done for us." The elder said, bowing to Natsu. The pinkette bowed back before turning to his guild mates.

"Alright guys, let's head out!" He said cheerfully. The others nodded in agreement, and after saying their goodbyes, made their way onto the galleon. While they sailed away, they waved goodbye to the demons until they were out of sight. They relaxed for a while, chatting about random things, before Natsu let loose a massive yawn.

"You're still tired Natsu? You should probably go lie down." Mystogan suggested and Erza nodded in agreement.

"Alright, someone wake me when we reach the mainland." He said, walking off to the lower decks. One of the pirates directed him to a comfy looking bed that he immediately flopped on. Yawning again, he slipped off his sandals and stretched out, finding a comfortable spot. Settling into one, he closed his eyes, waiting for sleep's embrace

" **Hello, Natsu.** "


	23. Chapter 23

**demonicKitsune2: Good job guessing the spies!**

 **Anthony00: Thanks!**

 **WolfGaming: Yeah, sorry about taking so long. I hope this one will be posted soon.**

 **Yami-Urami: I don't know when she will find out about Mystogan, but I have an idea of someone else finding out soon**

 **Cristallina: Maybe, maybe not you'll just have to read and find out ;)**

 **ShadraRune: I'm glad you like this story, I try to keep it as close to canon as possible**

 **Anthony00: Thanks!**

 **Nbuns1: Thank you, I'll try to**

 **Meazm: Thanks, I'm sorry it took me so long to update**

 **Midnightscar17: Interesting guess**

 **Kazuka746: Maybe, maybe not. I don't want to spoil anything for you**

 **Guest: Again my apologies, I didn't mean for the update to take so long. Things happened and I wasn't able to post until recently. I hope the last chapter made up for the wait and you enjoy this one as well**

 **Lenartmusa123: Thank you for the kind words, I am very sorry for the break between updates. I will try to be regular with my updates.**

 **A surya teja: Don't worry the next chapter is right here!**

 **Guest: There will be a little bit about Natsu in this chapter but it's mainly about the change from Galuna Island to the Phantom Lord Arc. Also sorry ahead of time for the cliffhanger in this chapter :)**

 **thehappy: Thank you, I'm glad you enjoy it so much. I'm going to try and bring the Natsu/Erza pairing to a reality soon so I hope it is to your liking.**

 **RadioactiveJet: Thank you, there's no nerza this chapter but I think you'll still like it**

 **tweetychirp: You are absolutely right, I wanted to rewrite the entire series but I had a poll and my other readers decided that I should just continue writing. I hope you read on and enjoyed the rest of the chapters.**

 **-In Magnolia-**

"Yay, we're finally back!" Happy cheered, flying circles in the air.

"I can't wait for a proper bath!" Lucy said happily. Erza nodded in agreement.

"Indeed, it will be nice to rest after our long adventure." She said before turning to the resident dragon slayer.

"What do you think Natsu?" She asked. The pinkette didn't seem to hear her though, too lost in his own thoughts. The group turned their attention to him, watching as he walked without really noticing where he was going.

"What's up with Flamethrower?" Gray asked but Mystogan shrugged in reply.

"I don't know, he's been like that since he got up from his nap on the ship." He said. Erza gave him a confused look.

"What could have possibly happened that made him this withdrawn?" She wondered. They all looked between themselves, none of them knowing the answer.

"Let's ask him!" Happy suddenly said, flying over to his best friend. He twirled in the air before landing on the dragon slayer's shoulder, gaining his attention.

"What's up bud?" Natsu asked, petting his friend.

"We wanted to know what's bugging you. You've been acting weird all day." Happy said. The pinkette blinked in surprise, glancing at the other mages.

"I have?" He asked and they all nodded in agreement, making him rub the back of his head apologetically. "Sorry about that."

"What's going on Natsu? You've been completely zoned out since we reached the mainland." Mystogan asked. The dragon slayer shrugged in response.

"I've just been lost in thought, thinking about some stuff." He said lamely. The masked mage raised an eyebrow in disbelief but Happy cut him off before he could say anything.

"Were you thinking about fish, I always forget what I'm doing when I'm thinking about fish." He said cheerfully. Natsu laughed, rubbing his head affectionately.

"Well why don't we buy you some when we pass by the market?" He suggested and the exceed cheered in delight.

"Yay, let's go!" Happy said, flying ahead of the others.

"Hey, wait up bud!" Natsu called, running after him. The others glanced at each other before Erza shrugged in acceptance.

"We should probably catch up to them." She suggested. After a moments of hesitation they all began chasing after Natsu and Happy.

'What are you hiding Natsu?' Mystogan wondered as he traveled with the others.

 **-A Little Bit Later-**

After they had found the boy and cat, the group had headed to the guild hall.

"We're back everyone!" Natsu called, pushing the doors open. He was instantly greeted with a crowd of replies.

"Welcome back!"

"Wow, you guys were fast!"

"You see, I told you they would be fine!"

Natsu walked through the guild, closely followed by his team. Makarov was at his usual spot on the counter, sipping a flask of beer. He kept an eye on the team as they approached him, frowning when he saw bandages on a few of his children.

"How was the mission?" He asked curiously. Natsu rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"It was going great until the demon broke free." He said. The entire guild hall was silent for a moment before it exploded in chatter. Half of the mages were asking about the details while the other half were asking if they were okay, all of them were up and forming a circle around the team. None of the group could answer any of the questions, as they were interrupted before they even got the chance to talk. This went on for a while until Makarov finally shifted into his giant form.

"ENOUGH!" He bellowed, silencing the guild. Once everyone was quiet he turned back to the dragon slayer.

"How about you tell us what happened?" Makarov suggested. So Natsu explained the whole event, from the moment they left the guild to the moment they had left the island. He had of course left out some of the more private moments, like his conversation with Zeref and the deal with Ultear. He had also left out his talks with Mystogan and Erza, but he did tell about the fight with Deliora and his new form. When he was finally done, the guild hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. After a few moments of stunned silence, Makarov gently cleared his throat.

"That was quite an amazing adventure you went on, I'm impressed that you were able to defeat Deliora, Natsu." While the dragon slayer smiled widely, the master turned to Erza. "Erza, you went after them even though I allowed them to go on the S-class quest." The redhead blushed in embarrassment at his words.

"I'm very sorry master, I acted rashly and I should have asked you first." She apologized, bowing to the old man.

"Alright, but as punishment you are banned from having any strawberry cheesecake for a month." He decided. As she lamented her loss, he turned to the rest of the guild members.

"Now, it's time for a party to celebrate this group's completion of an S-class quest!" He roared and the guild exploded into cheers. This celebration was a bit more toned down than the last one, since they had been celebrating Natsu's return the last time, but it certainly wasn't any less enthusiastic.

Everyone was chatting and drinking away, loving the excuse to party. Makarov was with Wakaba and Macao, having their own private drinking competition while they talked about the good old days. The unofficial Team Natsu was off in a little corner along with Mira, her brother Elfman, Cana, Levy, Jet, and Droy. Mira wasn't serving drinks at the moment because she had pulled out several barrels of beer, enough to keep the guild happy for most of the party.

"You guys were real men to beat a demon!" Elfman exclaimed. Gray rolled his eyes while Mystogan gave the white haired man a strange look.

"You do realize that Erza and Lucy are girls right?" He asked confusedly. Elfman nodded in agreement.

"They're real men!" He said confidently. The masked mage opened his mouth to say something, but gave up a moment later. Mira gave him a look of understanding.

"Don't worry, most people are often confused when they first meet Elfman." She explained cheerfully. Mystogan nodded his thanks before turning to Natsu.

"I do have some questions about what happened during your fight with Deliora." He stated, drawing confused glances from the people at the table who hadn't been on the mission.

"How come you didn't ask them when you guys were on the job?" Levy asked curiously. Erza supplied the answer for her.

"We haven't had a chance to ask Natsu anything, either it wasn't the right time or we were busy doing something else." The redhead explained.

"Well it's the right time and we're not doing anything else, so ask away!" Natsu said cheerfully. Before the others could ask anything though, Happy beat them to it. He flew up and landed on his friend's head, munching on a fish.

"How'd you beat it? Did you punch it really really hard?" The exceed asked. Natsu laughed, reaching up and scratching Happy behind his ears.

"You know what, I did punch him really really hard. And he crumbled away into dust." The dragon slayer said, mimicking the demon's demise. Mystogan took this chance to ask his own question.

"What was the new form you spoke of, this Demonic Fire Dragon Mode?" He asked. Natsu frowned as he pulled out a book, laying it in the middle of the table.

"In this book it talks about dragons and their slayers, a sort of abbreviated history. Several times it mentions how they were sometimes forced to fight against an army of demons, who wanted to destroy both dragon kind and humanity. Before we reached the island, I read that a dragon slayer had theorized that it was possible to integrate a demon's power into the slayer magic, but that had a high risk of death and only someone with a strong will could control both powers at once." He explained solemly. The table was silent as they digested his explanation.

"So… you have the willpower needed to handle all of the magic?" Levy asked worriedly. Natsu gave her a thumbs up in assurance but Erza gave him a stern glare.

"That was a dangerous thing to risk Natsu, you could have been killed." She scolded him but the dragon slayer scowled at her reasoning.

"I didn't have a choice, if I hadn't tried it than you and everyone else would have been dead." He said seriously. The redhead looked away from him and an awkward silence filled the table. It lasted for a few seconds until Mystogan cleared his throat.

"How much was your power increased? What kind of attacks did you gain? How strong was Deliora against your new form?" He asked.

"I would say two or three times stronger than my dragon force, so far only one attack, and Deliora was pretty much useless against me." Natsu answered confidently.

"Wow, you could probably beat Mystogan and Erza combined!" Jet said, Droy nodding in agreement. Erza turned to glare at them.

"What do you mean by that?" She demanded coldly. The two male members of Team Shadow Gear began sweating nervously as they began babbling excuses.

"I think they mean that Natsu is stronger than the both of us." Mystogan said calmly. She glared at him too, but he weathered it calmly.

"They do have a point, if Natsu beat Erza and he became even stronger than he was already than he could beat Mystogan. If they both tried to fight him, the chances of him beating both of them are fairly high." Levy pointed out, shrinking under the redhead's gaze. The situation was defused when Natsu laughed, patting Erza on the back.

"Don't worry about it Erza, it'll just give you a reason to get stronger." He suggested. She nodded in agreement, albeit somewhat angrily.

"So what are you guys planning on doing next?" Mira asked curiously. Most of the members of Team Natsu looked at each other in question, the only ones not were Mystogan and Natsu. The masked mage was watching the pinkette as he stood up.

"I don't know what you guys are doing but I have to go do something." Natsu said. The group stared at him in surprise for a moment before they exploded in arguments.

"You just got back!"

"You need to rest!"

"Why do you have to leave already?"

Natsu smiled sadly at Happy, who had spoken last. He ruffled the exceed's fur while he spoke to the whole group.

"I'm sorry guys, but I need to leave for a while, there's some things I need to take care of. Don't worry, I promise I'll be back in a month or two." He vowed but it only made the others more upset. They kept arguing against his going until Mystogan finally cut in.

"He's been gone for three years, being gone for another month shouldn't be a problem for you." He said sternly. The others quieted down as they looked away, slightly ashamed. Nodding in satisfaction, the masked mage turned to Natsu.

"Where are we going?" He asked. Natsu scratched the back of his head nervously, looking at his friend apologetically.

"I'm sorry Mysty, but I'm going solo on this trip." He said. Mystogan recoiled as if he had been slapped, staring at the dragon slayer in shock and… betrayal.

"Why are you going by yourself?" The masked mage asked quietly. Natsu sighed, looking away from the masked mage.

"I need to go take care of some things that I can only take care of if I'm alone." He explained. Mystogan nodded in acceptance, surprising everyone as he stood up.

"At least let me see you off." He suggested. The dragon slayer hesitated a moment before nodding, throwing his friend a smile. After saying his goodbyes to the others, the two of them left the guild. The table fell into silence as they processed what had happened. It was Happy who brought them out of their slump.

"Natsu's leaving again." He said sadly. Mira was quick to wrap him in a big hug.

"Don't worry Happy, he'll be back before you even know it." She assured him.

"I wonder what Natsu and Mystogan are talking about." Lucy wondered, the group becoming lost in thought as they guessed about their friend's conversation.

 **-With Natsu and Mystogan-**

"You know, you didn't have to see me off." Natsu pointed out. He and Mystogan were walking towards the outskirts of town, the masked mage tagging along until the pinkette left Magnolia.

"I thought it would be good if we had the chance to talk privately." Mystogan said, looking ahead as they walked. The dragon slayer shrugged, putting his hands behind his head.

"Alright, what did you want to talk about?" He asked.

"What are you really leaving for?" Mystogan asked seriously. Natsu sighed, turning to face his friend.

"I need to see Ultear when she finishes the job." He explained but the masked mage frowned at his answer.

"That's not for another month, you could have stayed here until then. What's the real reason?" Mystogan asked. Natsu laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"I can't get anything past you, can I?" He wondered, though his smile fell away when he saw his friend wasn't finding any humor in their conversation. "Sigh, I need to go searching for something."

"What do you need to keep so secret that you won't take me with you?" Mystogan asked. The dragon slayer looked at him apologetically.

"I can't tell you yet. Heck, I'm not even sure if I'll find what I'm looking for! But I need to go look for it, and I need you to stay here." Natsu commanded.

"Because of Phantom Lord." Mystogan guessed, the pinkette nodding in agreement.

"Phantom Lord should be quiet until I get back, but if I'm late or they attack early, I want you there to help the others." The dragon slayer explained. Unfortunately, Mystogan saw the logic in his friend's reasoning. Once Natsu left, the strongest mages in the guild would be Mystogan and Master Makarov. The masked mage didn't doubt Erza's strength, but he knew she couldn't handle the Element Four and Phantom Lord's own dragon slayer all by herself. If Makarov fell like he had in the last time line, then it would fall on Mystogan to take care of things until Natsu came back.

"Alright, but you should come back as quickly as possible." The masked mage finally relented. "I don't know how long I can hold off against their strongest mages."

"Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it." Natsu assured him with a thumbs up. The two of them continued their trip in silence until they reached the edge of town, where Mystogan spoke up.

"There's something else I wanted to ask you about." He said. The dragon slayer glanced at him curiously.

"What's up?" He asked. The masked mage was silent for a moment, hesitating, before he decided to speak his mind.

"When you went to sleep on the ship, what happened to you?" He asked. Natsu looked at the ground, remaining quiet, so Mystogan went on. "The entire way back you were distant, keeping to yourself and staying quiet. That's not like you Natsu, what's going on?" The dragon slayer let out a heavy sigh, dragging a hand across his face.

"To tell you the truth Mystogan, I don't know. I know what you're going to say, 'how can I not know what's happening to me?'. But I have no idea what's going on, I don't know if I'm just going insane or…" He trailed off, looking at the ground. Mystogan stared at him in shock. Here was his best friend, saying that he might be going crazy! The dragon slayer wasn't someone you could see as possibly losing it, he was too cheerful, too friendly, too _him_ , to be insane.

'But he has been killing people, people that should have gone to jail instead of being burned alive.' His brain argued, but he told it to be quiet. This wasn't the time to start doubting Natsu's sanity. He put a hand on Natsu's shoulder, making the dragon slayer look up at him.

"What do you need me to do to help you?" He asked. Natsu smiled at him, relief evident on his face.

"Thanks Mysty, I'm glad you're here to help. Honestly though, I just need some time to myself, to figure out what's going on." He admitted. Mystogan frowned but nodded anyway.

"When you get back, and if you feel like talking, I'll be here to listen." He assured the dragon slayer. Natsu flashed him a grin.

Thanks, I'll see you soon!" He said happily, walking down the road.

"Indeed, stay safe Natsu and come back soon!" Mystogan replied. He watched the dragon slayer until he was out of sight. Once Natsu was gone, the masked mage turned around and headed to their house, he had a lot to think about.

 **-A Month Later-**

Ultear let out an unladylike groan as she put her head in her hands. She was currently at the Magic Council's headquarters, in her office. On the desk in front of her was a mountain of paperwork. It wasn't even halfway finished and she was sure that there would be some more coming later.

"I can't wait to destroy this place so I can be done with this blasted paperwork!" She exclaimed angrily. She jumped when a voice suddenly spoke up.

"You should be careful with what you say, someone might hear you." Natsu said, leaning against the doorway to her office. She glared at him, debating on whether or not to kill him.

"How did you get in here?" She demanded. The dragon slayer shrugged, walking in and plopping down in a chair in front of her desk.

"I told one of those reptile things that I had an appointment with you and that I was already five minutes late. He panicked and told me where to go." He explained carelessly. Ultear frowned, cursing the stupid frog assistants for falling for such a simple trick.

'Calm yourself, killing them will only cause more problems.' She told herself, though she still kept the idea of killing the dragon slayer.

"What do you want Salamander? I'm rather busy as you can see." She said, gesturing to the pile of papers in front of her. Natsu nodded, standing up to take a look at the forms. He examined the pile for a moment before pulling out a sheet of paper from the middle of the pile. The stack of paper began wobbling back and forth, threatening to topple over. While Ultear frantically tried to prevent the pile from collapsing, the dragon slayer looked at the paper he had grabbed.

"File in triplicate the paperwork for allowing Ultear to survey Fairy Tail, most specifically Natsu Dragneel." He read before the letter was ripped out of his hand by a furious Ultear.

"Those are none of your business." She hissed at him but he just put his hands behind his head, sitting back down. She put the paper on top of the pile before sitting down herself.

"I don't see why you need to watch me, it's not like we aren't meet regularly anyway." He pointed out. She ignored the compliment he gave her and frowned instead.

"Siegrain was less than pleased with how late I was in contacting him. He wants to add to my troubles by making me even busier than I already am." She explained before blinking in confusion. "Why am I even explaining this to you?" She wondered but Natsu just shrugged.

"To relieve some stress? To try and distract me from what the paper said? I don't know." He said, shrugging again.

"What do you want Salamander?" She demanded, ignoring his suggestions. Natsu leaned back in his chair, switching into a business like air, something Ultear didn't think he could do.

"I was wondering if you finished the job? You had said that it would take a month." He reminded her. Ultear scowled at him, reaching into a drawer.

"That's one of the reasons I was so behind on my paperwork, I was staying up late trying to put these damn things together." She complained, pulling out an envelope and showing it to Natsu. When he tried to grab it, she pulled it out of his reach. The dragon slayer shot her a look but she refused to give it to him, not yet at least.

"I've kept my end of the deal, now it's your turn." She said, leaning forward to look him in the eyes. "I want to know everything you know about Grimoire Heart."

Natsu's eyes flickered with annoyance and, for a single moment, anger. A form of rage that she had never seen him exhibit before. But then it was gone, appearing and disappearing so quickly Ultear almost thought that she had imagined it, almost. Natsu took a deep breath, leaning back in his chair and nodding in agreement.

"Hopefully you don't have anything important coming up, this might take a while." He said. When the time mage waved for him to continue, he started explaining. If there was one thing that Ultear would say about him, he didn't go back on his word. He told her everything he knew about Grimoire Heart, from it's top members to their plans of gathering the keys to awaken Zeref. He told about Hades' eye and how his old age was attributed to the Heart, which was inside their guild's ship. He also told her that he knew Hades was planning on attacking the Fairy Tail guild on the next S-class exam at Tenrou Island.

When he was done, Ultear couldn't even think of anything to say. She didn't even know about some of the information he had given her. Her shock lasted for several minutes until Natsu frowned in concern, standing up and putting a hand on hers.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked gently. His voice snapped her out of her shock. She pulled her hand away, giving him an untrusting look.

"I'm perfectly fine. I'd prefer if you stayed in your seat Salamander." She said coldly. HIs eyes flashed in sorrow, but he nodded in agreement. While he returned to his seat and made himself comfortable, she organized her thoughts.

She thought about accepting most of what he said as fiction, but she dismissed the idea. The details he gave were too exact, too specific, to just be made up. And he knew about Master Hades' eye, something no one except for the Seven Kin of Purgatory, Blue Note, and Hades himself. Of course, that begged the question.

"How did you find out all of this?" She asked, attempting to keep her voice steady. It wouldn't do to have the dragon slayer notice that he had unsettled her. Natsu gave her a sharp look, shaking his head.

"That wasn't part of the deal. What you wanted to know was what I knew, and that's what I gave you. Now that I've finished my part of the job, it's your turn to finish yours." He said, stretching out a hand to accept the envelope. Ultear hesitated for a moment, fingering the package as she thought. She could refuse to give it to him, demand to know who told him all of Grimoire Heart's secrets. Natsu must have seen the idea forming in her mind, for he slammed a hand on the desk to gain her attention.

"Ultear, the envelope, now." He spoke quietly, but his voice was firm and his eyes blazed with a flaming message. _Don't._

The time mage couldn't help herself from swallowing nervously as she handed the dragon slayer the envelope. He nodded his thanks before opening the package, glancing at the contents. Once he was satisfied that Ultear had kept her end of the bargain, he resealed the envelope and tucked it away into a pocket.

"How do they work?" He asked. She quickly started explaining how he was supposed to use it, grateful for the change in subject. By the time she was done outlining how it worked, she had completely recovered from her shock. Leaning back in her chair, she gave him an appraising glance. There was something that she wanted to know about, and this was the best time to ask.

"What are you planning on using them for? They're practically useless to you." She pointed out. He grinned at her, a teasing smile that annoyed her to no end.

"What's wrong Ulty, curious?" He taunted, though his smile showed that he meant no harm. She scowled at him, crossing her arms and looking away.

"Of course not! I'm just wondering why you went through all of this trouble to obtain something so useless." She scoffed but he just kept grinning at her.

"Just because it's useless to you, doesn't mean that it's useless for me." He said cheerfully. She rolled her eyes at his answer but realized that she shouldn't have expected anything else. He was random at the best of times, and terrifying at his worst, but he always had the feeling of one hiding a secret. She had met enough liars to know when one wasn't telling the truth, but the dragon slayer was different. He never lied to her, he just left out details that he didn't want her to know about. She even understood why he did it. He was a good man and didn't want to lie, at least not in the conventional sense.

'He's a fool.' She thought bitterly. Those who tried to keep their morals died as fools, and no doubt Natsu would end the same way. But she would let him keep his secrets and his foolish dream, a favor to him for giving her what she wanted.

"If that's everything Natsu, then please leave. I have work to finish." She said, motioning to the door. He remained in his chair staring at her in surprise. She sighed in exasperation before giving him an annoyed look.

"What is it now?" She demanded.

"You've never called me by my actual name before." He said. She thought back to their other two meetings and realized he was right. Besides adding the suffix to his name, all she had ever called him was Salamander.

"Don't think too much about it, it was just a one time deal." She warned him but he just smiled at her.

"Okay, see you later Ulty!" He said cheerfully, bounding over to the door. She started to snap at him, but the words died on her lips when he opened the door. Standing in the entryway was Siegrain. He had messy blue hair that looked like it was impossible to comb, and a red tattoo going over his right eye. He wore a white coat that could have been mistaken for a straight jacket if it wasn't long enough to go past his knees and had black trimmings on it's shoulders. Though of course, neither of the occupants were interested in that, they were still trying to register what was happening.

Thankfully, it seemed that Siegrain was as surprised to see them as they were to see him. He was obviously expecting to find Ultear by herself so he could talk with her about something important, no doubt something about the Tower of Heaven. Instead he had found Natsu with her, talking with her about something the blue haired man had no idea about. Now here they were, having a stare off. Having more experience controlling her emotions, Ultear managed to recover first.

"What can I do for you Siegrain?" She asked politely. Her voice snapped the blue haired man out of his surprise, as he glanced over Natsu's shoulder to look at her.

"I needed to speak with you about an important matter, alone." He said the last part while glancing at the dragon slayer.

'Don't you dare do anything to ruin Grimoire Heart's plans.' Ultear mentally threatened, glaring daggers at the back of the pinkette's head in an attempt to give him her message. To her horror he completely ignored her warning, instead stepping forward to be face to face with the blue haired man.

"Siegrain right? I was wondering if you could give a message to Jellal for me." He wondered. Siegrain raised an eyebrow, the only sign of his growing surprise. Ultear almost growled at the two of them, what was Natsu thinking.

"And why do you think that I'm able to contact me brother?" The blue haired man asked curiously. The dragon slayer shrugged.

"I figured if anyone would have a way of getting in touch it would be you. After all, you guys are so alike you could be the same person." He said. Siegrain stiffened in alarm but Natsu didn't seem to care, walking to stand shoulder to shoulder with the blue haired mage and clasping a hand on his shoulder.

"Stay away from Erza" He growled, before slipping around the blue haired man. The two other occupants watched him until he closed the door behind him, neither comfortable with speaking until they were sure that the dragon slayer was gone. Once Siegrain was satisfied, he turned to Ultear, frowning.

"What was the Salamander doing here?" He demanded, though by his tone you would think that he was only slightly concerned. Ultear knew better though, he was confused, and he didn't like being confused.

"He and I were taking care of some business." She replied calmly. His eyes narrowed as he walked over to her desk, looking down at her.

"What was the business about?" He asked, his voice gaining a light edge to it. She met his gaze unflinchingly.

"Private business, between him and I alone." She answered.

'And Master Hades.' She thought. She needed to report to him as soon as possible, he would want to know about what Natsu had just told her. But right now she had to deal with her puppet. Focusing back on him she motioned to her chair.

"You said you had an important matter to discuss, what is it?" She asked. Siegrain didn't reply, staring her down as if he expected her to fold underneath his gaze.

'Fool.' She mentally scoffed. She had faced far more terrifying people than Siegrain, and he was far less threatening than he imagined himself to be. He still tried for another moment or two before finally giving up. Sitting down, he switched into his usual facade that he put on for when they were in public.

"I wanted to speak to you about the Salamander." He said, making her raise an eyebrow.

 **-A Month Later-**

Lucy and the others had just come back from a job which had asked them to defeat a monster terrorizing a village. They had succeeded in their mission and had

"Ugh that job was unbelievable." Lucy groaned in exhaustion. Next to her, Gray shrugged nonchalantly.

"It wasn't that bad." He said, making her glare at him.

"You're right, the job wasn't the problem. You were! You destroyed so much stuff that we didn't even get the money from the job because it had to go and pay for the damages! Now I don't have enough money for rent this month!" She cried, shaking her fist at the ice mage.

"It's not my fault the buildings were in the way." He muttered, looking away. A second later he hit the ground as Erza pounded a fist into his skull.

"Lucy is right, you were very destructive on the last job. You need to do a better job next time." She reprimanded him. Lucy glanced at her in disbelief.

"You destroyed almost as much as he did." She muttered to herself. Next to her, Mystogan smiled in amusement.

"At least nothing else was destroyed, otherwise we would have had to pay the village for damages." He pointed out. The blonde baulked at the idea, thinking about how much money she would have paid if Gray and Erza had continued to wreck the town.

"Wait a second, why did you guys even come with me?" She wondered. The pay for the job would have been just enough to cover her rent, so she had decided to go by herself. But when the others heard about it they decided to go with her, cutting the reward down into a meager sum that wouldn't even pay a quarter of her rent.

"Because we're a team, and a team should stick together." Gray said, looking at her as if she should have known that already. Behind him, Erza and Happy nodded in agreement.

"That doesn't mean we have to go on every mission together." Lucy pointed out.

"But we're the strongest team and we have to show everyone how awesome we are together!" The exceed cheered. The blonde sighed before turning to the masked mage.

"What do you think Mystogan?" She asked. He glanced at her before pointing off into the distance towards the guild.

"I think we have more important things to worry about." He said, a hint of worry in his tone. The others turned to look at the guild in confusion. After a moment their eyes widened in shock.

"What's wrong with the guild?" Happy asked worriedly.

"Let's find out." Erza said, picking up her pace. The others quickly followed behind her, breaking into a run. As they hurried through Magnolia they could hear the people whispering about them.

"Oh that was the group that had been gone when it happened."

"They must have just found out, poor guys."

The mutterings caused the mages to run even faster than before, and soon they were standing in front of the guild. Scattered throughout the roof of the building were several massive iron pillars, rammed straight through the guild.

"W-What happened?" Lucy asked in horror. The sound of footsteps, drew the group's attention to their right. Walking towards them was Mira, looking forlorn.

"It was Phantom Lord, they got us good." She said quietly. Lucy let out a small gasp, bringing her hands up to her mouth in shock. Gray clenched his fists in anger, Erza likewise looked like she wanted to punch something. Happy was looking at the others worriedly while Mystogan simply frowned.

"Where is the Master?" The masked mage asked. The barmaid signaled for the group to follow her.

"We decided to set up in the basement." She explained, leading the group to the room underneath the guild. It wasn't as big as the guild hall, so the Fairy Tail mages that were there were crowded against each other. Team Shadow Gear was sitting at a makeshift table, Jet and Droy explaining to Levy the rivalry between Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord. Off in a corner, another guild member by the name of Loki, was twisting one of his many rings nervously while he seemed to scowl at nothing and everything at the same time.

The returning group observed all of this as they walked towards Master Makarov, who was sitting at the makeshift bar. He was sipping from a mug of beer but he already looked drunk. His cheeks were flushed and he was tilting back and forth as if he would fall off his barrel at any moment.

"Master, what happened here?" Erza asked, looking around at her dismayed guild mates. Makarov shrugged his shoulders, gesturing widely with his mug.

"Those pompous jerks at Phantom Lord hit the guild last night. Thankfully no one was here when it happened." He explained, hiccupping at the end of his sentence.

"No one was hurt in the attack?" Mystogan asked.

"Everyone had already gone home for the night, I was the last one to leave." Mira answered, joining in the conversation.

"We should still make them pay for wrecking our guild!" Gray exclaimed angrily but Makarov drunkenly shook a finger at him.

"Nonsense! They were too scared to face us directly so they decided to wreck our guild, so what? It's not a reason to go after them for revenge." He said, looking at each of them seriously for a moment before sadly looking at his cup as he realized he was out of beer.

"But Old Man, they attacked us! We should at least show them not to mess with us!" The ice mage argued. He and the others jumped as the master suddenly slammed the mug down.

"No! None of you will do anything of the sort, that is final!" He cried. There was a moment of silence before he jumped off the stool.

"I'm going to take a leak." He said, somewhat tipsy as he walked off. The others were quiet as they watched him leave, lost in thought.

"It would be best to do what he says." Mystogan finally said. Gray wheeled around to stare at him in surprise.

"How can you say that, Phantom Lord attacked us and you just want us to sit here and do nothing?" He asked incredulously. The masked mage looked at him, frowning.

"Think about it, what would happen if we attack Phantom Lord? They would attack us back, even worse than before. We would then respond in kind, and soon enough we would be in an all out war. With Laxus kicked out and Natsu gone for who knows how long, do you think that we have a chance against the full power of Phantom Lord?" He asked seriously. The ice mage scowled in annoyance, he could obviously see the other man's reasoning but he still didn't like it. His attention was diverted when Erza placed a hand on his shoulder.

"The Master is as upset about this as we are, but he told us not to do anything and we need to respect his decision." She said. Gray scowled again but eventually nodded in acceptance. The two of them went to go sit over at a table, leaving Mystogan, Lucy, and Happy standing. Lucy glanced at Mystogan questioningly, pain in her eyes, but he shook his head ever so slightly before turning to the exceed. The blue cat was far from his name sake, with his ears drooping and a forlorn expression on his face.

"Happy, why don't you go find Mira? No doubt she has some fish for you." Mystogan said. The exceed cheered up a little at his words.

"Really? Fish here I come!" He exclaimed, walking off to find the barmaid. Once he was gone the masked mage began walking out of the basement, motioning for Lucy to follow him. Once they were out of the guild he turned to her, concern evident in his eyes.

"How are you handling it?" He asked. She was surprised by his question. She had been expecting him to say something else, like what Phantom Lord's next move would be, not wondering if she was okay. The thought comforted her, and made her feel something she didn't understand.

"I'm… scared. If I hadn't been here then this wouldn't have happened." She admitted.

"Remember what I told you at Galuna Island, this would happen. No one was hurt, but we'll soon be drawn into this war whether we want to or not. You need to remember that this is not your fault, it never was and it never will be." He said. Lucy seemed to hesitate, jumping from foot to foot nervously, before suddenly reaching forward and hugging him.

"Thank you Mystogan, for everything." She said. Ever since Natsu had told her about what her father had done, the masked mage had been there for her. He had even gone so far as to tell her about his own father and how cruel he was. If she were honest, she felt like he was closer to him than she was to any of the other guild mates, even more than she was to Natsu or Levy. That was why when she suddenly had the urge to hug him, she went ahead and did it.

Mystogan stiffened in surprise, unsure on what to do. After a moment of hesitation he slowly returned the embrace. It was obvious that he wasn't used to hugging a girl, as his grip was a bit loose, but she didn't mind. After a moment or two they broke apart, blushes showing how innocent the two actually were.

"We'd best get back before the others start spreading rumors." She suggested. He nodded, his lips twitching in a smile.

"Happy will probably start saying that we're in love." He said. Lucy laughed as they headed back into the basement.

 **-A Little Bit Later-**

Lucy balanced on a stone walkway, the river to her right and a row of houses on her left. She always did this when she headed home, walking along the wall with her celestial spirit Plue in front of her. She had formed a contract with the small white creature right before she had left for Galuna Island. It didn't have any real purpose but she found it absolutely adorable.

"I wish Phantom Lord would just leave us alone." She said, sighing. Plue nodded in agreement, though then again he might have just been dipping his head. She didn't mind, she liked having someone to talk to about her problems.

"I understand my dad wants me back, but they didn't have to accept his job. At least they haven't hurt anyone yet." She said, jumping off the walkway and walking up to her apartment building. After letting herself in she headed up to the second floor to her apartment.

"At least I can finally have some peace and quiet." She said, opening the door.

"Hey Lucy." Gray said, raising a hand in greeting as he leafed through some papers.

"This fish is a bit stale." Happy muttered as he flew out of the kitchen, munching on a fish he had found.

"This is almost as comfortable as Fairy Tail Acres." Erza said, leaning back in a chair. Lucy stared at all of her friends in shock, her brain having shut down at the scene. It rebooted when she realized exactly what Gray was looking at.

"Those are personal!" She cried, rushing over to him and yanking them from his grasp. The ice mage crossed his arms.

"I don't see what's the problem, it's just a story." He muttered. The blonde scowled at him, clutching the papers close to her chest.

"It's my novel, and Levy is going to be the first one to read it once I'm finished with it." She declared. Immediately Erza stuck out her hand, silently asking for the story.

"I said no!" Lucy exclaimed, shoving the papers in a drawer. "Why are you guys breaking into my apartment in the first place?!"

"With the threat Phantom Lord poses, it would be best to stay if no one was left by themselves. Several of the other teams have gone home in groups as well." Erza explained. The blonde looked around before looking back at the redhead.

"Where's Mystogan?" She asked. Erza frowned while Gray scowled in annoyance.

"He said he had to go do something. The perfect time for him to leave too." He said sarcastically.

"He has his reasons and he can take care of himself just fine." The knight reminded him.

"Yeah but he knows about our rivalry with Phantom Lord, if it does turn into a fight than we could use his help." Gray grumbled. Lucy glance at him in confusion.

"Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord don't get along anyways?" She asked. Happy nodded, flying over and landing on her head.

"Yeah, those bullies have always been messing with us!" He said exclaimed as he began on a second fish.

"They have been bothering us for a long time, ever since we took their spot as the number one guild in Fiore." Erza explained. "We've had several encounters with them in the past, but nothing this severe."

"I wonder what upset them?" Gray wondered. Lucy swallowed nervously.

"M-maybe their just mad that Fairy Tail is so awesome?" She suggested. The ice mage glanced at her curiously, but before he could comment, Erza cut in.

"No matter what the reason is, we need to stay here for the night and I am not sleeping in the same room as you Gray unless you take a bath." She said, glaring at the ice mage. While they argued about whether or not to take a bath, Lucy sighed in relief.

'That was a close one. They're my friends but Mystogan and Natsu told me not to talk to anyone about it. Speaking of which, I hope Mystogan is okay. I know he can take care of himself but I can't help but worry about him.' She thought.

 **-Meanwhile-**

Team Shadow Gear walked down the empty street, the moon shining high above them.

"You guys didn't have to walk me home." Levy said, smiling at her teammates. Jet and Droy pushed out their chests in pride.

"We have to protect you from any Phantom Lord goons that might be skulking about!" Jet exclaimed.

"Yeah we'll beat them so black and blue that they won't even know who they are!" Droy added and Levy giggled at their enthusiasm.

Above them, on top of an overhanging bridge, a dark and menacing figure crouched on top of the stone railing. With a savage grin, the shadowy figure leaped down towards the members of Team Shadow Gear, reaching towards Levy. Right before the figure could reach her though, another shadow suddenly jumped out from the side of a building and collided with the first one. The two figures went tumbling down another street and out of sight, just as Levy glanced behind her.

"What's wrong?" Jet asked.

"I don't know, I thought I saw something." She said before turning to smile at him and Droy. "It was probably just my imagination."

 **-In Magnolia Square-**

The two figures hit the ground and rolled apart from each other, the first one skidding across the ground as he tried to stop his momentum. The second one allowed the roll to carry him to the other side of the grassy area that they had landed at. Once both of them had sufficiently recovered they stood up and face off against each other. The first one grinned in twisted amusement.

"You don't seem happy to see me, I thought you'd like a reunion." He said mockingly. The second figure stood up, pulling a staff from his back.

"Not under these circumstances Gajeel." He said sternly. Gajeel's shrugged nonchalantly, lifting an arm and shifting it into a spiked sword.

"So you know what's happening. You understand that this is just business, I'm simply following orders." He said, shifting his arm so the sword flickered in the moonlight. "Though if I enjoy myself while doing it then that's a bonus."

"You won't lay a hand on them." The figure said, pointing his staff at the dragon slayer. Gajeel's smile grew even wider as he settled into a combat stance.

"You don't get it do you? I was hoping to rip off that blue haired fairy's wings, but any fairy fly will do. And that includes you Mystogan!" He cried, lunging at the masked mage.


	24. Chapter 24

**Kazuka746: Thank you so much for the kind review! Don't worry about the guesses, I'm still having those even this far into the story and yes you are right. As to your ideas, I definitely agree with you about the whole "Life" scenario and how angry he would be. To share a secret with you, I plan on setting it up in a similar way. With the past, I won't be too concerned with dates since as you said they might become lost during war. As for your writing, don't worry about it. I've found that as you continue to write you will slowly become better and better. Just give it time. And don't worry, I read your message all the way through. ;) Hope you read this and continue enjoying my story. P.S.: I agree with you about the manga, I was hoping for an epic fight with END or something, but instead he just disappeared and we never even had a chance to meet him!**

 **OverLordRevan: Thanks!**

 **leo: Thank you and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **lenartmusa123: I'm glad you enjoy them, and thank you for taking the time to read them.**

 **thehappy: The smackdown will be epic, and funny you should mention the old timeline. ;)**

 **Tohka123: Don't worry, I'm working day and night to bring you the most exciting chapters I can!**

 **Mavis. V. Dragneel: I'm glad you like the chapter, and I do have an idea for a story plot, but I can't really make the chapters shorter. They just come as I write them, sorry but I hope you like this one!**

 **midnightscar17: Natsu just hates Zeref for killing everyone he loves, and I haven't revealed yet what Natsu received from Ultear but I will in a couple of chapters. As to making the story a harem, I'm sorry but I have no plans to do that since it isn't a normal for most people in this day and age.**

 **NinjaFang1331: Thanks and I hope you enjoy this one even more than you did the last one!**

 **Anthony00: Thanks, though for a minute I thought you wrote nice Chap like in the British slang. But seriously, I'm glad you enjoyed it.**

 **Meazm: Don't worry, that's how this chapter kicks off.**

 **WolfGaming: I'm so glad you love it so much. To be honest, I've read so many novels that I write this story with a slow build up purely on accident. And don't worry, I completely understand the problem of monotonous stories.**

 **Angryhenry: Thanks and I hope you like this one too!**

 **Chin x2: Yeah, it wasn't one of my best lines.**

 **nbuns1: Thanks, I hope you like the fight. I tried to make sure it didn't end too soon but I don't know if I succeeded in that regard.**

 **PhantasmagoricalAsshole: Thanks, and you're right about coming in at the last moment. With the pairing, I didn't even plan it when I started this story, it just sort of happened but I'm glad that it did. Those two are a cute couple.**

 **Sorry this update took so long, I didn't have much access to a computer over the summer. But now I'm back and I am going to write as well as I can as often as I can!**

The town of Magnolia was an interesting place, and not only because it housed the Fairy Tail guild. It's citizens had long grown used to the insanity of the Fairy Tail guild members, including Gildarts and his tendency to destroy everything in his path. Because of this, the citizens had developed their own quirks. Once Fairy Tail had become famous the townspeople had quickly turned into a group of gossips. They had also developed a very high tolerance to Fairy Tail's insane and destructive ways. Another result of the guild's rowdiness was that the citizens had learned to be deep sleepers, not even Makarov shouting in his titan form could hope to wake the sleeping Magnolians.

Because of this, no one heard anything the night after Phantom Lord's attack on Fairy Tail. No one heard Gajeel's attempt to attack Team Shadow Gear, or Mystogan's interception of the iron dragon slayer. Neither did they hear Gajeel's declaration, or the fight that was just beginning.

 **-In Magnolia Square-**

Gajeel lunged at the masked mage, his sword thrusted in front of him. Mystogan spun out of the way of the jab, swinging his staff at the dragon slayer's head. His attack was stopped short when Gajeel raised his free arm, blocking the strike. Mystogan winced as the blow sent bolts of pain running up and down his arms. Gajeel grinned at the masked mage's discomfort.

"Your flimsy wooden staffs aren't going to work against me, the Iron Dragon Slayer!" He exclaimed, pushing the staff away and cocking his fist back as it transformed into a metal club. " **Iron Dragon's Club!** "

Mystogan tried to dodge the attack again, but this time it caught him in the side. The masked mage was sent spinning back, hitting the ground in a roll. Standing up, he put his eye staff away and pulled out the one with the fan attached at the top.

"What are you going to do, wave it at me?" Gajeel taunted, shifting the club back to his normal hand. Mystogan smirked at him.

"Something like that." He said, swinging his weapon. The dragon slayer's eyes widened in surprise as the masked mage threw a blast of high pressure wind at him. Thinking fast Gajeel stabbed his sword into the ground, crouching right as the gale slammed into him. The wind buffeted his body and threatened to send him flying, his makeshift anchor the only thing keeping him from being blown away.

When the gale finally died down, the dragon slayer shakily stood back up, shifting his arm back to normal. "That was some breeze," He commented, feeling a small gash across his cheek. "you even made me bleed."

"You should prepare yourself, because the storm is just beginning to rage!" Mystogan exclaimed, preparing another blast of wind.

"Good thing there's no chance of lightning, or this could be dangerous." Gajeel said with a grin. Before the masked mage could use his attack, the dragon slayer leapt high into the air.

" **Iron Dragon's Lance: Demon Logs!** " He cried, stretching out a hand. From it, dozens of seal erupted forth, quickly followed by dozens of metal spears. Mystogan was forced to abandon his attack as the iron spears began raining down on him, several of them coming close enough to almost hit him. Gajeel grinned as the masked mage danced around the square, trying to avoid the metal projectiles. His smile grew as Mystogan backpedaled into the dragon slayer's trap, looking up just as a massive spear slammed into his side.

However, instead of being pinned to the ground like Gajeel expected, the masked mage's left half suddenly dissolved into mist as the pillar tore through it. Mystogan's right half moved just fine, pulling away from the iron spear as if his body hadn't just been wrent in two. As he did, the air seemed to twist and bend around him, slowly returning his body to it's normal self.

"An impressive display, though I would have been caught off guard if I hadn't already seen that attack before." Mystogan pointed out. Gajeel grinned at him.

"I'm not one for sneak attacks, it would take all the fun out of it." He explained but the masked mage frowned.

"And yet you tried to ambush Team Shadow Gear." He accused. The dragon slayer shrugged as it it didn't bother him which, in all honesty, it probably didn't.

"I'm simply following Master Jose's orders, I'll do whatever he tells me to do if it means that I can fight to my heart's content." He said. As he spoke, Mystogan's frown shifted into a fearsome scowl, something Gajeel noticed.

"What's wrong Mysty, don't like what I have to say?" He taunted.

"Natsu is the only person who can call me that." The masked mage said furiously, slowly putting his wind staff away. Both of the mages knew that with the pillars spread across the battlefield, Mystogan wouldn't be able to hit the dragon slayer with anymore wind attacks. Gajeel didn't care about any of that though, he was too busy smirking at the blue haired man.

"The last time I checked, Salamander isn't here. Someone has to call you Mysty until he shows up again." He said.

"Maybe, but it won't be you, not now, not ever." Mystogan growled, _growled_ , in anger as his eyes flashed with a promise of retribution. Gajeel grinned savagely, shifting into a combat stance.

"That's a good look in your eyes, you'll be lots of fun to play with." He said, but he blinked in surprise when Mystogan shook his head.

"No, playtime is over. I'm going to send you to stars beyond!" The masked mage shouted, thrusting his staff in Gajeel's direction. The dragon slayer stared in shock as he was suddenly yanked into the sky, the ground quickly fading away beneath him.

"What the hell is going on?" He demanded, flailing around in an attempt to free himself from the force that had a hold on him. While he struggled he continued to climb higher and higher, until finally he left the planet's atmosphere and entered the vacuum of space. As he looked around in shock, two hands seemed to reach _through_ the sky itself and slowly pull it apart. Through the tear, a massive monster began to emerge.

It's skin was an inky black, with dozens of bulging, twisting patches that slithered about under it's skin. It was almost as if something was trying to crawl it's way out of the monster's body. It's claws were shaped like crescent moons, and were about the same size as well. When the beast opened it's maw, Gajeel could see a whirling red vortex that he instinctively knew if he entered it, he would never come out again. The creature's head was perhaps the most terrifying part of the monster. The face was continuously changing, starting as a goat's head, then crumpling in on itself and becoming a grinning mad man. A moment later it would shift into a ghoul, with hollowed cheeks and empty eyes sockets.

And it's eyes! No matter what the head turned into, it always cried blood. But the blood didn't drip downwards, oh no, it flew _up_ , trickling across the beast's head and flying up and to the stars beyond. It was by far the most terrifying creature that Gajeel had ever seen.

But his fear was replaced with rage when the monster's head morphed into a dragon's, opening it's jaws in a bellowing roar.

"Try to imitate dragons will ya?" The dragon slayer demanded, taking a deep breath. "Try and imitate this, **Iron Dragon's Roar!** "

His tornado of shrapnel tore through the creature, ripping it apart along with everything else in sight. Gajeel blinked in surprise as the inky depths of space faded away to be replaced with Magnolia Square. The dragon slayer's shocked look shifted into a scowl as realization struck him.

"Did you expect the illusion to keep me trapped forever?" He asked Mystogan, who hadn't moved an inch from his original position.

"No, but it stalled you long enough for this!" The masked mage called, making a sign with his hands. Gajeel watched as Mystogan's staffs slammed into the ground around him, forming a circle. When the last staff was planted, the earth beneath Gajeel's feet lit up as a seal was activated. Looking up, the dragon slayer could see four more seals stacked on top of each other, each one smaller than the one beneath it.

"Really this is what you stalled me for, a light show?" Gajeel asked, turning back to Mystogan.

"This is the end." Was the masked mage's only reply. " **Five Layered Magic Circle: Sacred Song!** "

A massive column of light slammed into the top seal, pausing only for a millisecond, before pushing onto the next one. Gajeel's eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen.

"Oh son of a…" He muttered, crossing his arms above his head in a futile attempt to defend himself. The light slammed into him, send a cloud of smoke billowing out across the battlefield. Mystogan's eyes darted around, searching for any sign of an attack. After a few tense moments, he finally relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief. But it wasn't over yet.

He heard it before he saw it, the sound of thousands of metal bits grinding against each other. Mystogan's eyes widened in surprise as a tornado of shrapnel tore through the smoke, slamming into the masked mage. The attack carried him for a dozen feet before slamming him against a nearby incline, tearing into him. The twister dissipated a few seconds later, but by the the damage had already been done.

Mystogan's shirt had been torn to shreds, leaving only a few scraps of cloth covering his torso. On his arms and in a few places across his chest, there were thin red lines where jagged pieces of metal had cut into his skin and caused his blood to run free. He was breathing heavily, but he wasn't about to give up yet. As he climbed out of the crater that the tornado had created, Gajeel's voice wafted out of the smoke.

"I prefer fighting face to face, rather than all of this sneak attack garbage, but I figured I owed you from that illusion crap you pulled earlier." He said.

"How did you survive?" Mystogan demanded, just as the smoke cleared to reveal his form. His skin had become covered in a dark gray metal, with scale like patterns rippling across his body. When he smiled, his white fangs were even more pronounced and fearsome than before.

"You mean this? It's my **Iron Dragon's Scales** , I never had a chance to use it against Natsu so you've never seen it before. After he beat me I trained for months, preparing my body for a rematch. My scales have become so strong that they can withstand any attack, and that includes even your best shot." He explained, his teeth flickering in the moonlight. "And now that you've shown me your best, allow me to destroy it!" Morphing his hand back into a blade, Gajeel spun in a circle. He smashed through the first staff, sending splinters everywhere. He cut through the second one, and as he moved onto the third one, Mystogan began weaving hand signs. The dragon slayer cut through the third staff and reached the fourth just as the masked mage finished. As Gajeel moved onto the fifth one, a purple mass suddenly grabbed it and pulled it backwards, straight into Mystogan's outstretched hand. He twirled it a few times before pointing it at the dragon slayer. Gajeel grinned, unconcerned.

"It seems that we're a bit more even now." He said, taking a step forward. Suddenly he gasped in pain, falling to his knees. A web of cracks slowly spread over his scales, running up his chest and across his face.

"You're too injured to continue fighting, just give up Gajeel." Mystogan offered but the dragon slayer just laughed humorlessly.

"I'm not about to give up anymore than you are Mystogan. After all, we both have a job to do, no matter what it takes." He said, taking several sharp, ragged breaths. Using his sword as a crutch, he tried to lift himself to his feet, but the best he could manage was to bring himself to one knee.

Once he gave up trying to stand, Mystogan began walking towards him. With four of his staffs destroyed, the masked mage couldn't use the Five-Layered Magic Circle again. And with the scales still covering Gajeel's body, Mystogan only had one way to end this fight.

'A razor sharp blast of wind should be able to cut through the scales. But because the air looses it's if it travels too far, I have to be as close as possible to use it.' He thought as he approached the dragon slayer. He stopped a few feet away, leveling his last staff at his weakened opponent.

"This fight is over Gajeel." He said, preparing his magic. Slowly, a grin spread across the dragon slayer's face.

"You're right about this fight being over, but it won't be the way you expect." He said. As Mystogan unleashed his attack, Gajeel rolled to the side. The air still managed to graze his arm, but he avoided the majority of the blast as he dove to the side. He rolled to his feet, swinging his sword upwards. Mystogan was so surprised by the move that he didn't even have a chance to change into air. The blade cut up the left side of his chest and continued up his face, cutting across his left eye. He stumbled back, crying out in pain. Gajeel grunted in satisfaction, pushing himself to his feet. As he did the scales slowly faded away, revealing red-splotched bruises covering his chest and a long cut running up one arm.

"Like I said before, I don't enjoy using underhanded tricks against my opponents, but Master Jose gave me an order and I have to do what it takes to kick this party off." He said, rolling his shoulders in a leisurely fashion. The tables had turned, and they both knew it. Mystogan had collapsed to the ground, trying to hold himself together as he slowly bled out. Gajeel stood tall, ignoring his own wounds as he looked down at the injured mage.

"It's been fun Mysty, but now it's time to string you up for everyone to see." He said, reaching for the blue haired man. Suddenly he paused, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He jumped backwards, just as a massive fireball tore through the spot he had just occupied. Gajeel grinned in the direction the attack had come from.

"Well well well, it's about time you showed up. I thought you wouldn't make it for the festivities, Salamander." He said, watching a figure step out of the shadows. Natsu hadn't changed much since he had left two months ago, he still had his usual outfit and his staff strapped to his back. But now he had a new cloak with him, and if you looked closely you could see his clothes were a bit ragged, as if he hadn't had a chance to change clothes recently. The pinkette glared at Gajeel, taking a moment to cast a worried glance at Mystogan before focusing his attention back on the other dragon slayer.

"Leave Gajeel, you're too injured to continue fighting." Natsu warned. The Phantom Lord member just grinned at him.

"You know I won't stop fighting unless I'm six feet under." He said cockily. Natsu scowled at him, though it seemed to be more in annoyance than actual anger.

"You're forgetting the way I beat you last time." He replied, taking out his staff. Before Gajeel could react, the pinkette lunged at him, swinging his staff at Gajeel's head. The iron dragon slayer tried to lift his arm to block the blow, but he winced as the damage from earlier shut down his arm. The metal staff slammed into his head, knocking him unconscious. Natsu watched as his foe hit the ground, hesitating for a moment as he listened to Gajeel's heartbeat slow, before rushing to Mystogan's side. Tearing his cloak off, he pressed it to his friend's wound. It quickly became soaked in crimson blood, but the pinkette didn't think that anything vital had been hit except for his eye.

"What took you so long, I thought it was your job to save everybody?" Mystogan asked, chuckling. The dragon slayer shook his head in disbelief.

"Of all the times to develop a sense of humor, you choose now?" He asked. The masked mage tried to shrug, but groaned in pain instead.

"It's probably all this blood loss, it's making me a little loopy." He suggested, laughing again. His laughter slowly died out, his head dipping down as he passed out.

"Mystogan? Mystogan, answer me?!" Natsu cried, but his friend was dead to the world. Cursing, the dragon slayer stood up, carrying Mystogan in his arms. His first step began to carry him to the hospital, but he stopped as he realized he couldn't take Mystogan there. The first thing they would do is take off his mask, and his friend would never forgive him if Natsu let them do that. Cursing again, the dragon slayer did a 180, turning towards the woods and the location of Porlyusica's hut

' **How do you expect to reach her in time? She's in the middle of the woods, you'll never be able to walk all the way there while you're carrying your friend.** ' A voice inside Natsu's mind asked.

'His name is Mystogan, you know that.' The dragon slayer shot back. 'And I don't intend to walk, I'm going to fly.'

' **What?!** ' The voice demanded. ' **You've never done it by yourself before, and you're carrying someone right now!** '

'There's a first time for everything.' Natsu thought before 'pushing' the voice to a corner of his mind. Sighing, he checked to make sure that he had a secure grip on Mystogan. Satisfied, he pushed magic to his feet, feeling the white-hot fire erupt from his sandals and propel him into the sky above Magnolia. He wobbled in the air, with nothing to support him but his flames, as he tried to balance himself. Finally succeeding, he gently leaned forward, momentum propelling him in his intended direction. He flew that way for a few minutes, checking on Mystogan every couple of seconds. The masked mage still had a strong heartbeat, but it was slightly erratic. If it suddenly gave out, Natsu didn't know what he would do. He had already lost all of his friends once before, he didn't know what he would do if he lost another.

' **Natsu, we're here.** ' The voice said quietly. The dragon slayer blinked in surprise, looking down and glimpsing a door in between the trees.

'Thanks, Etherious.' Natsu thought. The voice made a noise understanding before receding back to where the pinkette had put him earlier. Slowly killing the flames, he gently fell to the forest floor below. He hit the ground running, reaching Porlyusica's hut in a few steps.

"Porlyusica, open up!" He shouted, kicking the door instead of knocking because he was still carrying Mystogan. For a moment nothing happened, then a cranky voice floated through the door.

"Go away, do you know what time it is?" Porlyusica demanded.

"Yes but I need your help!" He exclaimed.

"I'm not doing anything until morning!" She said. Natsu sighed in exasperation, he had forgotten how stubborn the old lady was.

"Grandine, open this door! Mystogan needs help!" He shouted. It was a risk to use her name, but it seemed to do the trick. He could hear her roll out of bed and shuffle towards the door. Porlyusica swung the door open, no doubt a cutting remark on her lips. But the words died out as she saw the state Mystogan was in.

"Bring him in." Was all she said before she disappeared back inside. Natsu followed after her, making sure that his cargo didn't hit anything. It was a small room, with tables full of potions, herbs, and other forms of medicine filling the majority of the hut. On the far end of the structure was a simple bed that Porlyusica slept in, though it also doubled as a patient's bed when they came to her. The old lady was bustling about the hut, snatching various objects from the shelves that lined the walls. The dragon slayer knew better than to disturb her while she was working, to interrupt her would be asking for her wrath.

So Natsu did what he could, walking over to the cot and gently placing Mystogan on the mattress. He took the masked mage's last staff and placed in a corner of the hut, where no one could trip over it. Next he pulled off the remains of Mystogan's shirt and mask, keeping his cloak pressed to the wound. He didn't know how long he sat there, feeling his friend's blood pool around his fingers as he tried to keep it under control, before Porlyusica appeared at his side.

"Leave Natsu, I won't have you in my way." She snapped irritably. The dragon slayer shot her a glare.

"I'm not going to abandon Mystogan." He said firmly, but he did move aside to all the old woman to take his place. She started working immediately, removing the cloak from the wound and inspecting the damage. There were a few slashes here and there, superficial wounds that had already stopped bleeding. The main wound was much more serious though, blood was still pooling from the cut. The bottom of the injury didn't seem to be serious, a simple scratch that was almost unnoticeable to the naked eye. But as it reached his chest it ran deeper, almost scratching the ribs. The cut on his face was so deep that it almost cut his eye in half. Porlyusica quickly started working on the most pressing injury, keeping her eyes on her work as she talked to Natsu.

"You did everything you can do, you slowed his bleeding and brought him to me. Now you need to leave him to me. I can't work with you peering over my shoulder like a mother hen. So get out before I smack you!" She exclaimed. Natsu hesitated for a moment, but when she started reaching for her broom he beat a hasty retreat.

Outside he sigh wearily, dragging a hand through his hair. He had finally returned to Magnolia after being away for two months, and already he was in the middle of it.

' **Hey, it could have been worse. It could have been Team Shadow Gear again.** ' Etherious pointed out, causing Natsu to chuckle humorlessly.

'You're right there, I don't think Gajeel or I could have gone through that again.' He said. Looking around, he found a vantage point up in the old lady's tree. It gave him a view of Porlyusica's door as well as the surrounding area.

'Just because Gajeel is down for the count doesn't mean that he won't come back sooner than expected.' He thought as he climbed into the tree.

' **He might not have come alone either.** ' Etherious added. The dragon slayer subconsciously nodded in agreement, taking a deep breath so he could catch all of the nearby scents. Letting his instincts take care of the sorting, he let his mind drift, ending up to when he had left Magnolia.

 **-Two Months Ago-**

Natsu waited until he reached the nearest train station, ordering a ticket and boarding the train, before he tried to talk. Now that he was over his motion sickness, riding a train was a great way to spend time thinking. He settled into his seat, closed his eyes, and focused on the darkness of his mind.

'Are you still there?' He asked quietly.

' **Of course, it's not like I can go anywhere.** ' The voice said sarcastically. Natsu rolled his eyes in annoyance, the guest inside his head could be a sarcastic prick when he wanted to be.

'Do you at least remember anything now?" The dragon slayer asked.

' **Like the last time we talked, I don't remember anything except my name, Etherious Dragneel.** ' His companion replied, his voice bitter. The last time they had spoken was on the way to way to Magnolia. They hadn't been able to talk much only a few words here and there, before they had been interrupted by one of Natsu's friends. The only thing the dragon slayer had learned was the voice's name.

' **I don't remember anything, but I do know what you remember.** ' Etherious suddenly said.

'What? How?' Natsu asked incredulously.

' **We share headspace, remember?** ' The voice said flatly. The dragon slayer could see him rolling his eyes, even though he technically didn't have eyes, it was strange.

'So what, when I'm busy you take a stroll down _my_ memory lane?' The pinkette demanded.

' **It's not like I have anything else to do. The only things I can do are talk to you, feel what you feel, and look at your memories. And since you were too busy to talk earlier, and you weren't doing anything exciting, I went ahead and looked at your life. I have to ask, did you really go back in time after that Zeref creep killed all of your friends?** ' Etherious asked. Natsu frowned at the unwanted memories dug their way to the surface of his mind.

'Yes.' Was all he said before reaching for another subject. 'What do you mean by 'your friends, aren't they our friends?'

' **Not really, I've never talked to them directly and they don't even know I exist. So even though we share minds, it doesn't mean that we have the same feelings and opinions. Especially about Titania.** ' The voice explained. Natsu blinked in confusion.

'Erza? Why did you single her out?' He asked.

' **Really? How can I see something that you, a man with enough memories to fill two lives, can't?** ' Etherious demanded incredulously. He must have meant it as a rhetorical question because he continued before the dragon slayer had a chance to respond. ' **It's obvious that you two care about each other, I wouldn't be surprised if Mira or someone else hasn't noticed it already.** '

'Well of course we care about each other, we're family.' Natsu retorted. A moment later he heard the slap of a face palm.

' **I could have been stuck with anyone, but** _ **no**_ **, it had to be a complete and utter idiot.** ' He muttered, ignoring the pinkette's indignant protest. ' **What was that song kids sometimes sing? Oh, I remember!** ' Etherious cleared his throat before he began to sing. ' **Natsu and Erza sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes-** '

"Shut up!" He exclaimed, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. His blush spread when he realized he had accidently said it outloud. A couple of the other passengers were giving him weird looks, but they stopped after a couple of seconds. Once he was sure everyone was minding their own business he scowled, aiming it in Etherious' direction.

'Thanks a lot, look what you made me do.' He grumbled. His companion shrugged indifferently.

' **I wouldn't have had to if you weren't so dense.** ' He pointed out.

'I am not dense!' Natsu argued. 'I just don't think you're right.'

' **Oh come on!** ' Etherious exclaimed, throwing his hands up into the air. ' **Think about all of the times that you and Titania have been there for each other. She taught you how to read, and in the past you saved her from the blue haired psycho at the Tower of Heaven. She's even helped you open up since you've come back.** '

'But that's what friends do for each other.' The pinkette protested.

' **Like the masked mage and blondie help each other?** ' His companion suddenly asked. Natsu paused, thinking back to when he and Mystogan had explained to Lucy what her father had been up to, and later when they had been on Galuna Island, he had woken up to the masked mage telling her about his life in Edolas, something he had never done before.

' **It's interesting, the both of you are so withdrawn yet these girls have warmed your hearts so quickly. I wonder how Mystogan feels about Lucy?** ' The voice said.

'You don't wonder about me?' The dragon slayer asked, raising an eyebrow. His head echoed a moment later with the sound of laughter. Etherious had a cheerful yet twisted laugh, as if he knew something funny but painful at the same time. Natsu had a feeling that it was his normal laugh.

' **I already know how you feel. The real question is, do you know how you feel?** ' Etherious asked. Natsu went quiet as he thought about Erza, and how he felt about her.

The hours sped by as he became lost in thought. He didn't stir until the conductor called for the last stop. Sighing, Natsu grabbed his bag and started moving to the exit.

'What are we going to do now?' He asked. Etherious hadn't spoken for quite some time but the dragon slayer knew he was listening.

' **Well, I can't go anywhere and you're my only way of figuring out who I am and where I came from. And since I'm the source of your new found power, you need me to use it. I guess we're stuck together whether or not we like it.** ' He summed up. Natsu sighed, running a hand through his hair.

'Yeah, that's what I figured. But if you're going to be sticking around, we need to set something straight. If you're going to talk about my friends, you have to use their names.' He said firmly.

' **Why does it matter if I use their names or not? You still know who I'm talking about.** ' Etherious protested.

'That doesn't matter. They're my friends and if you're going to be around them you can at least call them by their names.' The dragon slayer argued, crossing his arms in finality. He could hear his companion growl in annoyance be he refused to budge. Finally Etherious relented.

' **Alright, I'll do it your way. So where are we going?** ' He asked gruffly. Natsu knew he was trying to change the subject, after all, Etherious had probably read his mind and knew the answer already. But the pinkette had what he wanted so he went along with it.

'We're going to search for a legend, we're going to the windiest place in Fiore.'

 **-Back to the Present-**

Natsu was pulled out of his memories by the sound of creaking wood. Tensing in preparation for a fight, he scanned the forest floor below him. He fround when he couldn't see or smell any intruders.

'So where did the noise come from?' He wondered. After a few more moments of searching he gave up, relaxing against the trunk of the tree.

'It was probably just the wind.' He assured himself.

' **Or a cranky old lady.** ' Etherious pointed out. The dragon slayer frowned in confusion.

'What are you talking-'

"Natsu you brat, get out of my tree!" Porlyusica shouted, shaking her broom threateningly. Her shout surprised Natsu so much that he almost fell out of the tree. He scowled as he heard his companion laughing his head off. Once he climbed down, he dusted himself off and looked at Porlyusica worriedly.

"How's Mystogan?" He asked. She sighed, lowering the broom.

"He's fine, I managed to stop the bleeding and stabilize him." She assured him.

"Thank you Porlyusica." Natsu said, grinning in relief. He started towards the hut but she stopped him.

"He needs to be alone right now, to give him a chance to recover." She said firmly.

"But I need his help, Fairy Tail needs his help!" The dragon slayer argued but Porlyusica shook her head.

"No one is disturbing my patient, not even Makarov himself." She said, shoving her broom under his nose. Natsu started to argue again, but Etherious interrupted him.

' **Let it go, the best thing you can do for the masked man is to let him rest. And besides, even if he was suddenly healed and back at his full strength he still only has one staff.** ' He said gently, yet firmly.

'He has a name, and what are you trying to say?' The dragon slayer demanded.

' **I'm saying that your fr- Mystogan is going to be useless in this fight against Phantom Lord, and you know it!** ' The voice said accusingly. Before Natsu could argue, Porlyusica unknowingly interrupted their conversation.

"Since you're suddenly so quiet, you probably understand that Mystogan needs his rest." She said. The lines on her face relaxed as she put her broom down. "As soon as he's awake and I decide that he's well enough to talk, you'll be the first to know."

Natsu hesitated for a few moments before finally relenting. He realized that Porlyusica and Etherious were right, Mystogan was too injured to do anything except rest. And with most of his staffs destroyed he couldn't even beat one of the Element Four.

"Alright, thank you Porlyusica." The dragon slayer conceded. The elderly woman nodded in acceptance before suddenly flicking her broom up again, almost jabbing him in the throat in the process.

"Now that's settled, tell me what happened and how you learned about my real name." She demanded. Natsu chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

"Well you see, it's actually a pretty funny story." He began.

'A little help please!' He pleaded but Etherious just scoffed.

' **You're the one who decided to use her real name instead of simply telling her Mystogan was injured. It's your bed, now lie in it.** ' He said before disappearing into a dark corner of Natsu's mind, leaving the dragon slayer to curse at nothing. Sighing, he focused back on the outside world and the irate woman in front of him.

'Might as well get it over with.' He decided. So he explained how he had just returned to Magnolia when he had detected the scent of iron. Remembering that Gajeel Redfox, the iron dragon slayer, had that particular odor, he had followed it until he heard the sounds of a fight. He arrived just in time to stop Gajeel from finishing Mystogan.

"I knocked out Gajeel, grabbed Mystogan, and brought him to you as fast as I could." He finished.

"It's a good thing you arrived when you did, another moment and Je-Mystogan may have suffered an even worse injury." Porlyusica said before glaring at the dragon slayer. "But you still haven't explained how you know my name!"

Thankfully Natsu was ready now. While he had been explaining, he had spent the time thinking up a convincing fib. While he was sure Porlyusica could keep it a secret if he told her the truth, he didn't want to risk it. The less people knew about his secret the better. So he was left to lying through his teeth.

"When I saved Mystogan he told me to come here. He knew you'd probably be asleep so he told me to say your real name to let us in." He lied, mentally crossing his fingers. He wasn't sure if Mystogan would actually tell someone her name, but he might of since it was a life and death situation. Thankfully his bet paid off, as the old lady nodded in acceptance, though she still kept him pinned with her glare and her broom.

"There are only a few people in this world who know my real name, including Mystogan, Makarov, and now you. You have to swear to tell no one who I really am. Can you do that brat?" She asked. Natsu smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry, I'm great at keeping secrets." She said. She scrutinized him for a few moments before sighing in resignation, probably realizing that she didn't have a choice but to trust him.

"You should probably tell Makarov what happened, he'll want to know." She finally said, walking past him and heading to a clump of mushrooms. Natsu turned to protest about leaving Mystogan, but he was forced to stop as he was suddenly blinded. Blinking spots out of his eyes, he realized that while he had been talking to Porlyusica the sun had risen above the trees, blinding the dragon slayer with its radiance.

'It's morning already.' He thought in surprise. 'I have to hurry!'

"See ya Granny!" He said, running towards Magnolia. Behind him he could hear Porlyusica shouting in anger.

 **-Later-**

"I hope Mystogan is okay." She said, glancing at the basement steps for the fifth time that hour.

"Don't worry about it so much." Gray said, taking a drink. "He's fine."

"But he hasn't shown up yet, and he wasn't with us last night." She protested. Erza laid a comforting hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"Mystogan can take care of himself, he is an S-Class mage after all." She assured her.

"But-" Lucy stopped, biting her tongue. She was about to mention Phantom Lord but she had promised Natsu and Mystogan that she wouldn't. She caught herself too late though, Erza and Gray were looking at her confusion.

"But what Lucy?" The ice mage asked. The blonde shook her head, unable to trust her voice. She froze as she felt a hand clamp onto her shoulder.

"What were you going to say?" Erza demanded, her eyes flashing with authority.

"N-nothing." Lucy squeaked, she had forgotten how scary the redhead could be.

"She was going to say 'But I looove him.'" Happy said, swooning in the air. The blonde glared at him, a light blush dusting her cheeks.

"Shut it cat, I'm just worried about him!" She exclaimed, trying to smack the exceed out of the air. Happy just snickered, flying around her as he dodged her hands. Their 'game' was interrupted when they heard the sound of someone descending into the basement. Lucy turned toward the entrance, expecting Mystogan, but instead it was Natsu. While she frowned in disappointment, Happy flew over to his friend.

"Yay, you're finally back!" The exceed cheered, flying into Natsu's chest and hugging him. The dragon slayer blinked in surprise, as if he had been lost in thought and hadn't even noticed the cat until now. Looking down he smiled at Happy, though it was a forlorn smile.

"Hey buddy, it's good to see you too." He said quietly, returning the hug. While they embraced, Lucy and the others joined them at the entrance.

"Talk about timing Flame Brain, you made it back right after Phantom Lord trashed our guild." Gray said, scowling, though it was more at the mess upstairs than at the dragon slayer. Natsu let go of Happy, nodding to the ice mage.

"I know, I saw it almost as soon as I reached town. Do you know where Gramps is?" He asked, looking around the basement at all of the depressed mages.

"The Master is over there." Erza said, pointing to where Makarov was sitting on a barrel, drowning his sorrows in beer. The dragon slayer began moving towards him, but she stepped in his way.

"Before you even try, he's not going to allow us to fight Phantom Lord. We tried arguing it yesterday but he remained steadfast. You can't change his mind." She said, her voice firm but gentle. Natsu looked at her for a moment before glancing away, and Lucy thought she saw a light blush dusting his cheeks.

"Thanks Erza, but that wasn't what I wanted to talk to him about." He muttered, still looking away from the redhead.

"If you don't want to complain to Gramps, then what do you want to tell him?" Gray asked. The dragon slayer was silent for a moment before answering.

"Something about Mystogan." Was all he said. Erza stiffened at his words, and she didn't move as he slipped past her. Happy and Gray didn't either, they just looked at his back in confusion. Lucy did move though. She caught up to him as he was weaving his way through the crowd, grabbing the back of his shirt and holding on to it. Natsu stopped, keeping his back to her.

"What is it Lucy?" He asked quietly. She was silent for a moment, trying to force the words out. Deep down she already knew the answer, and she was afraid that Natsu would confirm her fears.

"Where's Mystogan? Is he hurt?" She finally blurted. He still didn't turn to her, keeping silent, but she saw his hands clench into fists.

"I'll take you to him later." He promised, walking off as her grip went slack.

She could feel tears well up in her eyes as she covered her mouth in horror. She saw Natsu walk up to the Master and whisper in his ear, she felt Makarov's power wash over her as his eyes flashed with rage. She heard his roar of fury as he told the guild what had happened to Mystogan. She felt all of these things, but she didn't pay attention to any of them. Her mind was occupied by a single thought that made everything else meaningless.

'Mystogan almost died, and it's all my fault.'

 **-Earlier-**

Natsu sighed as he finally reached the guild and saw the damage Gajeel had inflicted on it. The first time it had made his blood boil, but the second time around he just spared it a passing glance before he headed for the basement steps.

' **Have you figured out what you're going to tell blondie?** ' Etherious asked.

'Not yet. No matter what I say it will upset her.' The dragon slayer thought. It showed how tired Natsu was that he didn't even bother correcting his companion.

' **You could always lie and say he's fine.** ' The voice offered.

'Oh, and then what? When she asks where he is I say he's visiting Porlyusica?' Natsu asked sarcastically. His partner grumbled but didn't argue with him, they both knew it was a stupid idea.

'I'll just try and avoid her until Mystogan is well enough to talk to her.' The pinkette decided. Etherious laughed his twisted laugh.

' **Sure, and if she corners you or she finds out from someone else and starts crying? What are you going to do then?** ' He demanded. Before Natsu could respond, something suddenly bumped into him. Blinking in surprise he looked down to see Happy hugging him. He had been so wrapped up in his argument with Etherious he hadn't even noticed that he had reached the basement.

"Hey buddy, it's good to see you too." He said softly, wrapping his arms around the exceed. After having been gone for two months, it was nice to see a friendly face again. Hearing footsteps, he looked up to see the rest of his friends joining them.

"Talk about timing Flame Brain, you made it back right after Phantom Lord attacked us." Gray said, scowling. Natsu flinched, thinking he was talking about Mystogan, before he realized the ice mage meant the guild hall.

"I know, I saw it almost as soon as I reached town. Do you know where Gramps is?" He asked, looking around. The scene was about the same as it had been in the first time line, everyone looked crushed, and a depressed atmosphere seemed to weigh on everyone. A few guild members sometimes tried to make a joke, but it quickly died out. He figured the old man was in the same place as last time, but he wanted to make sure.

"The Master is over there." Erza said, confirming Natsu's guess as she pointed to where Makarov was drinking several mugs of beer at once. The pinkette began making his way to him, but he was forced to stop when Erza suddenly stepped in from of him.

"Before you even try, he's not going to allow us to fight Phantom Lord. We tried arguing it yesterday but he remained steadfast. You can't change his mind." She said firmly, but her voice had a gentle tone to it. Natsu looked at her, preparing to argue with her, but he stopped his conversation with Etherious flashed in his mind. The dragon slayer was forced to look away and hope that he wasn't blushing, though from Etherious' chuckling he was sure he was failing in that regard.

"Thanks Erza, but that wasn't what I wanted to talk to him about." He mumbled, looking everywhere but at her.

"If you don't want to complain to Gramps, then what do you want to tell him?" Gray asked.

' **Well there you go, not five minutes in and you already have to tell blondie that her boyfriend was almost killed last night!** ' Etherious exclaimed.

'Will you shut up?!' Natsu snapped at him.

' **Why of course your draconic highness.** ' His companion said, mentally bowing. The dragon slayer sighed tiredly.

'Look, Etherious, I'm sorry.' He began, but Etherious was already gone. Sighing again, Natsu focused back on Gray and his question.

"Something back Mystogan." He said, deciding to keep it short and simple so they wouldn't ask too many questions. Erza didn't say anything, she simply stiffened in surprise. Natsu frowned, remembering their talk about Mystogan on Galuna Island.

'She still has her doubts about him. I should talk to her about it at some point.' He thought. But he had more important problems at hand, so without a word, he walked past her. He was making his way to Makarov, slipping past the makeshift tables and depressed guild members, when he smelled Lucy's perfume, just as she grabbed the back of his shirt. He stopped, but he didn't turn to look at her. He couldn't bear to face her, not then, not while Mystogan was still unconscious because of him.

"What is it Lucy?" He asked quietly, hoping, praying, that she wouldn't ask him the question he was dreading. He could hear her, stumbling over her words, having trouble getting it out. Finally she spoke.

"Where's Mystogan? Is he hurt?" He could hear the worry in her voice, her desperation of wanting to know the truth. But she could also hear her hesitation, her fear at what the truth may be. He clenched his fists as tightly as he could to keep himself from spinning around and telling her everything that had happened.

"I'll take you to him later." Was all he could say before he had to walk away and stop himself from telling her what had happened to Mystogan. But she had already figured it out. As he walked away, he felt her grip loosen as she was hit by her realization. As he walked up to Makarov he could hear her sobs, too quiet for all but a dragon slayer, sound like thunder in his ears.

"Natsu my boy, what's the matter?" The Master asked seriously, looking at the dragon slayer's somber face. Natsu leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"Last night, Mystogan was attacked by Gajeel Redfox of Phantom Lord. Mystogan lost the fight and was badly injured. He's at Porlyusica's right now, he's stable but he would have died if I hadn't arrived in time." As he spoke the Master's power slowly began to leak out as each word made him all the more angry. When Natsu was done, Makarov was shaking with rage, and with a sudden CRACK, he broke a mug with his bare hand.

"I don't care if they wreck the guildhall, buildings can be rebuilt and replaced." His voice slowly grew louder and louder, until all of Fairy Tail was listening. "But I will not allow them to hurt one of our own! They think they can attack Mystogan, leave him beaten and bloodied and on the verge of death, and that we will do _nothing_! No! We will not allow them to get away with this! They want a war, and we'll give them one! We will avenge our fallen comrade and give Phantom Lord what they deserve! To war my children, to war!" He roared and the crowd roared with him. Natsu watched as they all surged towards the stairs, cursing Phantom Lord and preparing for the upcoming fight. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Levy walk up to Lucy and try and talk with her. The blonde just shook her head, and after a few more tries, Levy gave up and joined the throng. Lucy watched her go before turning away, but as she did she caught Natsu's eye. He flinched as he saw the guilt and sorrow in her eyes.

'She blames herself, just like before.' He realized sadly.

' **Etherious wouldn't have been hurt if she had never joined Fairy Tail.** ' Etherious pointed out, emerging from his hiding place. The dragon slayer growled at him.

'A lot of good things wouldn't have happened either.' He snapped. 'And a family isn't about pointing fingers and saying who's to blame, it's about comforting each other when we're hurting.'

' **Then why aren't you over there comforting her?** ' His companion asked. Before Natsu could answer though, he was interrupted by a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Erza standing behind him.

"We should go Natsu, everyone is almost gone already." She said, motioning to the exit. She was right, the basement was deserted except for a few stragglers, and even they were leaving.

"I'm sorry Erza, but I'm not going to join the fight, not right now anyways." He said. She stared at him in shock.

"But Mystogan is one of your closest friends, don't you want to fight for him?" She demanded.

"I would love nothing more than to beat up every Phantom Lord punk out there and torching their guild to the ground!" He exclaimed, throwing up his hands. "But someone has to watch over Magnolia while the others are gone." He looked over at Lucy. "And besides, I promised that I would take her to Mystogan. I owe her that much at least."

He could sense Erza's displeasure at his decision, but there was something else there, something he couldn't name.

"If you think it's best that you stay, very well, I won't waste time arguing with you." She said, turning to leave. Her words hurt him, more than he thought they would. As she began to walk away he grabbed her wrist. As she turned back to him, he saw the stoic mask that she wore to hide her feelings. She hadn't worn it for some time now, and it hurt him to see it.

"Erza I-" He began but he stopped himself. He wasn't sure what he had been going to say, but he knew that it wasn't the right time or place. "Please, stay safe." He said instead. Her eyes flickered with surprise before she softly smiled at him.

"I will, I promise." She said, disappearing up the stairs a moment later. Natsu listened until he couldn't hear her footsteps anymore. Sighing, he turned around.

"Alright Lucy, let's go…" He trailed off as he realized he was speaking to an empty room. Lucy was gone.


	25. Chapter 25

**PhantasmagoricalAsshole: Thank you thank you (Does a theatre bow). But seriously, I'm glad you enjoyed it and I hope you like this one as well. P.S. I love your name**

 **Meazm: Thank you, and sometimes the hero must lose in order for the story to progress**

 **Angryhenry: Yep Lucy's disappeared, and I feel like her and Mystogan have a similar past so they would connect on a certain level**

 **Kazuka746: Thanks for letting me know about the mistakes and I'm sorry for not catching them. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, despite my mistakes, and Etherious will have amnesia for a while, but he will slowly regain his memory. How though, I'm not saying.**

 **WhiteStripedTiger: Hahahaha, alright, I'll work as fast as possible. I'm so glad that you have enjoyed this story so much.**

 **Honesty: I'm sorry about the early chapters, they were written very poorly. I hope the later ones are better.**

 **LordAzrael1: Thank you, I'm super glad you like it!**

Lucy was running, tears streaming down her face. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew that she had to leave Magnolia, she had to get as far away from her friends as possible.

'I should have just left as soon as Natsu told me about my father, but instead I stayed and Mystogan almost died because of me.' She thought sadly, wiping the dripping tears from her face. Because of that, she couldn't see where she was going and she tripped. Falling, she cried out in pain as she scraped her knee.

"Could this day get any worse?" She muttered as she cradled her bleeding appendage. As she spoke, a group of stormy clouds suddenly covered Magnolia, quickly drenching the city in a heavy downpour.

"Of course it can." Lucy sighed, but she uncovered her wound, allowing the rain to wash it. As she looked up at the sky, feeling the rain fall on her, she heard someone walking towards her.

"Natsu, I know you said you were going to take me to see Mystogan, but I can't. I can't go see him when I know that he's hurt because of me. I can't stay when I'm putting all of you in danger, so I'm going to leave. I don't know where I'll go or what I'll do, but I know that I have to protect everyone, and the only way to do that is to leave. So please Natsu, don't stop me." She said, continuing to look at the clouds. There was a moment of silence, and then her companion spoke.

"Juvia is not Natsu, so she will not stop you. If you want to leave, then you can come with Juvia to Phantom Lord." Lucy's blood ran cold as she look to see a blue haired women in front of her. She had a matching blue dress and was clutching an umbrella to protect her from the rain. The blonde quickly stood up, backing away from the other girl.

"I'm not going anywhere with Phantom Lord." She said defiantly. She jumped as she heard another voice from behind her.

"Je suis désolé manquer, but you have no choice in the matter." A man said as he slowly rose out of the ground. He was a thin man, with an orange suit, a monocle, and green hair. The strangest part about him was that he never stopped moving, he continuously leaned back and forth into impossible positions.

"My friends will never let you kidnap me." Lucy said.

"Drip drip drop, we know that your guild mates have left to fight. You are alone in this town, and you cannot fight." Juvia said.

"We'll see about that." The blonde muttered, reaching for her keys. But her hand grabbed at nothing. Her head jerked toward Juvia as she heard the sound of metal clinking together. A tendril of water hovered near the blue haired girl, clutching Lucy's keys. The thought of a member of Phantom Lord holding her celestial spirits made her blood boil.

"Give them back." She hissed, glaring at Juvia.

"Drip drop drip. Juvia will take good care of them, just as she will take good care of you." The blue haired woman replied, raising a hand. Before Lucy knew what had happened, she was trapped inside a prison of water. The cold liquid surrounded her, forcing its way down her throat and into her burning lungs. She tried to fight it, to escape from the watery cage, but she couldn't even move.

'Someone, anyone, please help me.' She pleaded as she felt herself beginning to drift into unconsciousness. Suddenly a large fireball tore through the water prison, sending her falling to the ground. But she never hit the stone street, instead a warm blanket enveloped her, protecting her from the frigid cold she had just escaped from. Despite the comforting feeling, she was still weak and every movement, every thought, was a struggle. She still forced her eyes open though, to see who had saved her. She smiled at the figure holding her.

"Natsu." She said softly before fading into unconsciousness.

 **-With Natsu-**

Natsu sighed as he looked at the blonde in his arms.

"You shouldn't run off like that, you never know what could happen." He muttered, shifting her to a more comfortable position.

' **You do realize that she's unconscious, right?** ' Etherious pointed out.

'Of course I realize that, it just seemed like I should have said that.' The dragon slayer retorted.

' **Great, I'm stuck with a loony**.' His companion said, sighing in resignation. Before Natsu could make a retort, the man with the monocle, Sol, cut in.

"Excusez-moi, but you interrupted our mission. If you will be a gentleman and hand her over, all will be forgiven." He said, leaning back and forth. Natsu turned to him, glaring with the fury of a dragon.

"You're the one who should be seeking forgiveness, trying to kidnap Lucy while I'm protecting her is a stupid move." He growled. Sol flinched at the tone but he quite literally bounced back.

"Non non non, in our defense we thought everyone had left. It seems we were mistaken, but even you, Salamander, cannot take us by yourself." He said, his eyes flashing maliciously.

"Drip drip drop, Juvia will defeat you. Master Jose wants her to bring the target to him and Juvia will do so." Juvia said, forming a wave of water behind her. The dragon slayer scowled at them.

"You're both outmatched. My flames are too hot for Juvia to even have a chance at quenching it, and you can't even reach me without being burned _Monsieur_ Sol." He exclaimed, spitting out the title.

"Then it's a good thing they brought me along." A voice suddenly called from above him. Natsu's head jerked up to see a man with black and white hair, a black band across his face, and a red outfit. He was Totomaru, the fire mage of the Element Four.

"What are you doing here Totomaru?" Natsu demanded, trying to hide his surprise. In the past, he hadn't appeared until Phantom Lord had launched a full out assault on Fairy Tail. The black and white haired man smirked at the dragon slayer, drawing his blade.

"Master Jose heard how you've been making a name for yourself since you came back. He wanted to make sure that no one would get in our way, and that includes you!" He exclaimed, lunging towards the pinkette. Natsu jumped back, just as the sword impaled the ground where he had just been standing. This put all three of the Phantom Lord members in front of him. Taking a deep breath he summoned his magic.

" **Fire Dragon's Roar!** " He called, blowing a white hot inferno at them. His eyes widened in surprise as the fire suddenly shot into the air, leaving his opponents unscathed.

' **You forgot that the sword guy can control fire, didn't you?** ' Etherious asked. The pinkette mentally scratched the back of his head.

'Maybe?' He said. The voice just sighed resignedly.

' **Just take care of them quick, otherwise the blonde may be hurt in the crossfire.** ' He said.

'It's Lucy, and your right.' Natsu agreed. While he could probably take all three of them on, he couldn't do it while protecting Lucy. He couldn't put her down either because Sol would suck her into the ground. That left running away, though it didn't mean that the dragon slayer liked it. Spinning around he started running down the street. Behind him, he could hear Sol say something stupid in french while they began chasing him.

'Let's see if they can keep up with me.' Natsu thought with a grin. He had been living in Magnolia for so long that he knew the streets like the back of his hand. Ducking into a side alley, he began weaving in and out of the many streets and pathways that littered the town. At first his pursuers were able to stay with him, but after a while their voices slowly grew farther away and Natsu had to strain his ears to hear them. Taking the chance to hide, he ducked behind a pile of crates, making sure that he and Lucy were safely hidden. After a couple minutes of waiting, he heard Totomaru and Juvia approach, coming within mere feet of his hiding place as they ran past. Waiting until their voices were whispers again, he carefully emerged from the crates.

"Alright, let's get you to Porlyusica's." He said, looking down at Lucy. Walking out of the alley, he came to the road that led to the blonde's house, where an aqueduct cut the street in half. Turning towards the outskirts of the city, he only took a few steps before he heard a familiar voice.

"Bonjour again monsieur. You cannot escape from us that easily." Sol said, rising out of the ground from behind Natsu. The dragon slayer turned to face him, scowling irritably.

"In case you haven't noticed, it's just you Sol. You're no match against my magic." He said, igniting his body. To his surprise, the earth mage nodded in agreement, bowing half of his body in the process.

"Non non non, while it is true I do not have an advantage over you in strength, there are many other ways to win." He said, smiling. Natsu eye's widened in realization, but he was frozen stiff as Sol's magic took hold of him.

" **Merci la Vie.** It is a very beautiful spell that does not require any bloodshed. Instead, it turns my ennemi against himself, destroying him from the inside out. You are no doubt beginning to see what I mean Salamander." He said, and he was right, Natsu could see it. Memories flashed across his vision, nightmares he had hoped to never see again. A dark, ruined landscape that burned with the smell of death.

"Yes, it seems this is where your darkest moment lies. Tell me, what happened that was so terrible that you had to keep it buried deep inside you?" Sol's voice seemed to ooze around him, slowly enveloping him and urging him to submit. The dragon slayer tried to fight back, to break the stone slowly covering him and lash out at Sol. He tried to summon his magic, to burn the nightmares away, but nothing worked. He couldn't move, he couldn't use his flames, he couldn't even shut his eyes to avoid looking at the horrors that were appearing. The first to appear, weren't Fairy Tail mages, but they were friends all the same. Lyon, lying dead on the ground, Sherry beside him after he had made a useless effort to protect her. Kaguya, falling in the sword stance that she was standing in, her sword broken into dozens of metal shards. Their new friends, Sting and Rogue, fighting to the death to defend their guild.

"Oh ho ho, it seems that you let your friends die, did you not? You were powerless against the foe that was slaughtering your camarades. I wonder, who was so deadly, even the great Salamander could not defeat him?" Sol wondered, and there he was. The dark mage seemed to tower over Natsu like an overwhelming force, making the dragon slayer feel like a small child.

"I'm sorry Natsu. I gave you a second chance, but you wasted it. And this is the price for your failure" He said, frowning in disappointment.

"Interesting, who is this man?" Sol asked. Natsu knew his name, he cursed him every single day since he had come back. But no matter how hard he tried, and no matter how much Sol pushed, the dragon slayer couldn't think of the dark mage's name. All he could think of was the towering figure in front of him, surrounded by the bodies of his friends.

" **Natsu**." A voice suddenly suddenly reached out to Natsu, trying to grab his attention. He barely noticed it though, too lost in his sea of despair to register that someone had even spoken.

"What else did this man do, what did he cause that makes you hate him so much?" Sol's voice still managed to reach him, whispering in his ear like a snake. For the first time Natsu was able to move, though it was against his will. His head slowly twisted to look to the left, where the others lay. Lucy was on her back, her keys clutched to her chest as dried tears rested on her cheeks. Gray had formed an ice wall to protect him and whoever was behind him, but it had proved useless. He was face down, his dull eyes staring at the dragon slayer accusingly. Happy, his wings limp and lifeless. His backpack had fallen off at some point and his bright guild mark was a contrast to the dirty and matted fur.

" **Natsu.** "

And Erza, Natsu would have cried in anguish if he wasn't frozen. She had tried to save everyone, using her adamantine armor to protect them from the wave of death, but it had only helped her die first. There was a gaping hole in her chest, where her heart should have been. Her once beautiful red hair was now darkened by blood and ash. Her face was twisted into an agonizing expression, as if the dark mage had made her suffer before she died. And it was all Natsu's fault.

" **Natsu.** "

"Non non non, what is this? These people cannot be dead, they are at Phantom Lord." Sol said, shocked. But the dragon slayer didn't care what the earth mage saw, all he cared about was what he had done, what he had caused.

" **Natsu!** " The voice shouted, desperately trying to reach him. " **Sol is turning you to stone, you need to fight him!** "

Why should he fight? He deserved what was happening to him. He had failed, he wasn't strong enough, and now they were all dead.

" **They aren't dead, you still have this chance to save them! But you can't do anything when you're stuck here, lost in your memories!** " His companion cried, and it sounded like he was trying to break through something, something that divided the two.

'Memories?' Natsu thought, looking at Erza. It was just like last time, everyone was where he remembered them. It was like looking at a picture, a horrifying photo that he couldn't look away from.

'But it could be him.' He realized. The dark mage remembered the past, he knew how everyone had died, because he had killed them himself. The dragon slayer wouldn't put it past him to recreate the scene to look just like the past.

' **It is the past, Zeref isn't here! Natsu, they're taking blondie!** ' The voice shouted.

'Her name is Lucy.' Natsu absentmindedly shot back. Suddenly he paused, Lucy. He had been with her just moments ago. They were running from someone. No, not someone, Phantom Lord. Three of the Element Four were hunting him while he had been carrying Lucy. But why was he here now, lost in ash and death.

' **Sol put you under a spell.** ' The voice reminded him. But it wasn't just a voice, it was Etherious, the dragon slayer's companion.

' **Yeah yeah, it's me. Now hurry up, they're about to take off with the blonde!** ' Etherious said. Natsu could feel his rage building at the thought. They were trying to take Lucy. He wouldn't let them get away with it! He could feel his magic bubbling to the surface, just waiting to be unleashed. With a mighty roar, his flames burst free, burning through the illusion and breaking the rock tomb encasing him. His eyes wild and ferocious, he glared at Sol.

"You." He breathed, his anger so overwhelming that he could barely speak. The earth mage stared at him in shock.

"Non non non, no one can escape my **Merci la Vie**. What are you?!" He demanded. Natsu growled in fury.

"Your worst nightmare." He said before lunging at his foe. Sol bent to the side, and the dragon slayer sailed past him. It didn't stop the pinkette though, he spin in mid air and dug his nails into the ground, slowing him to stop. Before he had fully halted though, he was off again, attacking the earth mage with a flurry of swift and powerful blows. Sol used his incredible flexibility to dodge every single attack. Natsu growled in annoyance, nothing else mattered right now except making him pay for what he had done. The dragon slayer dropped to his hands, kicking out with a leg sweep. As the earth mage leaned backwards, Natsu spun his body and kicked up with his other leg, slamming into Sol's chest. The Phantom Lord member cried out in pain as he flew towards a stone wall. Instead of slamming into it though, he was simply absorbed by the stone structure.

"You hit me! How rude!" Sol cried indignantly, his voice echoing all around the dragon slayer.

"You deserve far worse than that you bastard! You made me relive that nightmare, that terror, and you'll burn for that!" Natsu shouted, spinning around, searching for his foe.

"Non non non, do not blame me for your mistakes. It is your own fault for being so weak in the first place!" Sol exclaimed, rising out of the ground behind the dragon slayer. The earth mage pulled his magic forth, preparing to strike the dragon slayer down with a surprise attack. Suddenly, Natsu spun around, grabbing Sol by the throat and lifting him into the air. The earth mage choked and squirmed as the dragon slayer brought him close to his face.

"You think that I'm weak. I'll show you how 'weak' I am." He hissed. His flames exploded in a torrent of fire, engulfing both of them. Sol screamed as the flames licked his flesh and torched it at unbelievable temperatures. Natsu remained unharmed, glaring at his enemy as he continued to choke the life out of him. The earth mage's voice slowly died out as his throat was burned, killing his voice. He continued to squirm for a few more moments, desperately grasping Natsu's hands in attempt to loosen his grip, before he finally went limp. The dragon slayer applied a little more pressure before letting go, watching as the body dropped to the ground like a puppet with it's strings cut.

The moment it hit the ground, Natsu's rage seemed to drain out of him. He stared at the charred corpse in front of him, horrified.

"What did I just do?" He asked out loud.

' **You defended your friend and made sure that he will never talk.** ' Etherious answered, seemingly unconcerned with what the dragon slayer had just done.

'But I could have just beaten him unconscious, I didn't have to kill him!' Natsu exclaimed, his gaze fixated on the damage he had just wrought. Sol's body had been burnt and ravaged by the fire, leaving a charcoaled mess. The dragon slayer flinched as he caught the scent of burning flesh, a horrible, putrid, smell that assaulted his senses and added to the guilt he was feeling.

' **Yes he's dead, deal with it. You didn't have a choice in the matter, he had seen the dark mage and he saw your friends dead. As soon as he had returned to Phantom Lord, he would have squealed to his master about everything he had seen. What do you think would have happened then?** ' Etherious demanded. Natsu finally tore his gaze away from the sight before him, looking to the side in shame.

'I-I don't know.' He said quietly.

' **Everything would have fallen apart! Everything you've worked on, all of the plans you've made, all of it would have been wasted!** ' His companion exclaimed.

'We don't know if that would have happened. Jose could have kept it to himself.' The dragon slayer snapped at him.

' **We both know that's a load of bull!** ' Etherious shouted, his frustration suddenly exploding forth. ' **He could have sold the information to Grimoire Heart or another of the dark guilds, or even worse, he could have told the magic council and convince them to disband Fairy Tail.** '

Unfortunately Natsu knew he was right. The pinkette knew how conniving Jose was, the master of Phantom Lord wouldn't pass up a chance to sully Fairy Tail's name. And even if his plan hadn't worked, the magic council would have thrown a wrench in Natsu's plans. That's not saying that Sol's death wouldn't disrupt his plans, but it was probably the best case scenario. But still…

'Mystogan didn't want me to kill, to become what I hate.' He protested. His companion sighed, a long exasperated sigh, like he was a teacher teaching a student the same lesson over and over again.

' **And he's right, to a point. You were killing indiscriminately, killing anyone you thought was evil, that was what worried him. Instead, you have to stay your hand, allowing them to live. Only kill those that threaten you and your family.** ' He explained.

'That's almost everyone I fight.' Natsu pointed out but Etherious shook his head.

' **No, they might hurt your family, but they pose no threat to them. The Element Four, Gajeel, Jellal, Laxus, and everyone else, they have fought and hurt your guildmates, but your friends never died or were scarred for life. Only those like the death mage, and the master of Phantom Lord, are true threats, and you'll deal with them when the time comes.** ' He assured the dragon slayer. The pinkette took a deep breath before slowly nodding.

'The Oracion Seis, Edolas, Grimoire Heart, and Sabertooth. My friends were hurt because of them, but they always recovered, always bounced back stronger than before. I don't need to worry about anyone threatening them, and I will protect them if someone tries to hurt them, but I'll do it without killing them.' He decided.

' **Great, now that you've gotten over your crisis go help Blondie.** ' Etherious said.

'Etherious, the great motivator.' Natsu said sarcastically, but he knew his companion was right. He had to bring Lucy to safety as soon as possible. Looking over, he saw the blonde was sprawled out on the ground. Whether she had fallen there or had been placed on the ground, he wasn't sure, but she seemed alright so he didn't question it.

"Let's get you out of here." He said, lifting her into his arms.

'I hope the others are doing okay.' He thought as he turned towards Porcylusica's.

 **-In Phantom Lord-**

"Did you hear? Gajeel beat the crap out of one of Fairy Tail's strongest members!" A Phantom Lord member told one of his friends.

"Really? I bet it was a total beat down!"

"Actually, I don't know. He's been quiet ever since he got back." The first guy said, glancing over at Gajeel. He was sitting at his usual table in the corner, but instead of munching on scrap metal like he usually was, he seemed to be lost in thought.

"Huh. Well why don't we ask him." His friend said, standing up and walking over to the iron dragon slayer.

"Dude, don't do it." The member warned him but his friend ignored him.

"Hey Gajeel, what's up with you? You've been screwy ever since you got back. It's almost like you-" The man didn't get to finish his sentence as an iron pole slammed him into a wall.

"Shut. The. Hell. Up." Gajeel growled, but it fell on deaf ears as he had knocked the man unconscious. The dragon slayer turned to the rest of the guild, glaring at them. "Anyone else want to say something?" The others immediately turned back to what they were doing, avoiding his gaze. He scoffed, turning back to his table. "That's what I thought."

'Great, even those schmucks can see it.' He berated himself. He had been in a foul mood the moment he had woken up from the knockout blow Natsu had given him. 'I can't believe I let him beat me, again! That miserable excuse of a dragon slayer!'

Suddenly an explosion rocked the Phantom Lord's base, blasting the doors wide open. Gajeel turned to see the Fairy Tail guild standing in the doorway, all armed and ready for battle.

"Fairy Tail's come knocking!" Makarov roared and the others cheered, rushing into the Phantom Lord guild. The Phantom Lord members rushed to meet them, and the air was quickly filled with spells flying every which way. Gajeel simply watched, scowling. As soon as Fairy Tail had appeared, he knew Natsu wasn't with them, he couldn't smell the fire dragon slayer.

A sudden flash of red caught his eye, making him turn and look. Titania, 'The Queen of The Fairies', rightly deserved her title. She was currently in her Heaven's Wheel armor, cutting through anyone who stood in her way. As Gajeel watched her decimate his guildmates, his scowl slowly turned into a terrifying grin.

'I think I have just the way to get Salamander off my mind.' He thought, slowly standing up.

 **-With Erza-**

The S-class mage was tearing through her enemies with frightening efficiency, but she barely even noticed it. She was still thinking about her talk with Natsu before she had left to fight Phantom Lord.

'There was no reason to defend Magnolia, not with all of us fighting here and keeping Phantom Lord busy.' She thought, blasting a group back with a simple flick of her wrist. She knew that he also had to take Lucy to Mystogan, but couldn't he do that later, after this fight was over? Really the thing that bothered her was the fact that Natsu and Lucy were alone together. But she didn't know why it annoyed her so much and that just made her even more frustrated.

"Hey, Titania!" A voice called out. She spun just in time to catch a saw-like blade on one of her swords. Her assailant grinned at her, revealing a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. "It's so nice of you to drop in."

"Gajeel Redfox, the iron dragon slayer. We're here to pay Phantom Lord back for what they did to Mystogan." She declared, scowling.

"I thought Salamander would have been first in line to do that. Where is he?!" Gajeel demanded, stabbing forward with his sword. Erza dodged to the side, calling her swords to her.

"Why do you care where Natsu is?" She asked, sending two of her blades rocketing towards him. But the dragon slayer just flicked his own weapon, sending the swords flying.

"I need to pay him back for the beatings he's given me. So where is he?!" He exclaimed.

'Beatings, what is he talking about?' She wondered, but she didn't have a chance to ponder it for long. Gajeel shaped his sword back to a hand and took a deep breath, a magic seal appearing in front of his mouth. Erza's eyes widened as she realized what he was about to do. Quickly changing her armor, she slammed the two shields of her adamantine armor together.

" **Iron Dragon's Roar!** " The tornado of shrapnel hit her shield dead on, grinding against the magical reinforcement. Her defense held firm, but the force of the attack sent her skidding backwards before she finally slammed into a wall. Pulling herself out of the newly made hole, she glared at Gajeel as he walked towards her.

"I will never tell you where Natsu is." She said, changing into her black wing armor. He grinned at her, a dangerous, predatory grin.

"When I'm done with you Titania, you'll tell me everything I want to know." He said, stretching out his hand. " **Iron Dragon's Lance: Demon Logs!** "

Erza used her armor to fly into the air, weaving between the metal spears. She hovered in the air for a moment before swooping down, swinging her sword at Gajeel's head. The dragon slayer flipped backwards, bending back to dodge the sword and then kicking up with his feet. Erza swerved to the side, but one of them caught her in the chest, throwing her back. As she flew back, she flipped in the air and planted her feet in the wall. A moment later she kicked off, throwing herself at Gajeel. The dragon slayer was still recovering from his flip, so he looked up just in time for the redhead to grab him by his face, slamming him into the ground and dragging him across the floor. Finally she let him go, throwing him into the opposite wall.

"You'll never make me talk, and you will never hurt Natsu." She declared. But despite her bravado, she was already beginning to pant in exhaustion. She had been too angry to keep a rein on her magic, so she had spent more than she had meant to when she was defeating the other Phantom Lord member. And now she was taking on Gajeel, one of the five S-class mages of Phantom Lord.

'I need to end this as soon as possible, otherwise he'll be able to outlast me.' She thought, breathing unsteadily. Unfortunately she wasn't the only one to notice it.

"That was a nice throw, but it doesn't look like you can do too many of those. Running out of steam Titania?" Gajeel asked, jumping down from the crater he had formed. Erza glared at him, steadying herself.

"I have enough power to beat you." She said, stabbing at him. He ducked to the side, throwing a punch at her stomach. She twirled away, summoning another sword and slashing at his side. The attack connected, sending Gajeel staggering backwards.

"You bitch." He hissed, clutching his side in pain. The blade had cut through his shirt, revealing a large bruise running up his side.

"What happened to you?" She couldn't help asking. The dragon slayer glanced at his injury before scowling.

"I got this from Mystogan while it was fighting him. It's not as bad as the one up here though." He said, pointing to his head. "Salamander gave this one to me last night. I'm putting it on the list of blows I owe him."

"You keep talking like you've met Natsu before." Erza commented. Her opponent shot her a disbelieving look.

"He never told you? He and I have known each other for over a year now." He explained. The redhead stared at him in shock.

"Why would he consort with someone like you, a Phantom Lord mage?" She demanded but Gajeel just shrugged.

"Search me. Salamander just showed up one day and made a bet with me. We would fight, and if he won I would help him make a staff. If I won he would owe me a favor. I thought it was going to be an easy fight, but the bastard suddenly turned the tables and beat the shit out of me. I won't forgive him for making me look like such a fool!" He growled, his eyes flashing in anger. Suddenly he looked back at her, grinning as he suddenly realized something.

"And I have the perfect way of paying him back." He said, chuckling in twisted amusement. "I wonder how he'll react when he finds out we have you as our prisoner."

"I'll never be used to hurt Natsu." Erza declared, raising her sword. Gajeel just grinned at her.

"We'll see about that." He said, lunging at her.

 **-With Makarov-**

He was mounting a flight of steps, heading to the next floor where he knew Jose resided. He had thought about telling Erza his destination, but she was locked in combat with Gajeel Redfox and he didn't want to distract her. Reaching the top of the stairs, he found himself at a large, decorated, door.

'Jose was always one for overcompensation.' He thought, pulling back a fist. A second later the door exploded as he punched a massive fist through it. Stepping through the opening, he glared at the man residing within the room. Jose had a cliched witch hat on, with a matching purple jacket and bat wings. The hat covered his eyes, revealing only his thin mustache that framed his dark lips.

"Hello Makarov, it's been a while." He said calmly. He didn't even flinch as a massive fist tore past him, smashing the wall behind him.

"I'm not here for pleasantries Jose, I'm here for what you did to one of my children." Makarov growled angrily. The other master simply shrugged nonchalantly.

"Mystogan was an unfortunate casualty, I would have prefered to have left someone as powerful as him unharmed. Instead though, he tried to play hero and paid the price."

"He was protecting his family. You and your guild are the ones who are at fault! You disobeyed the rules Jose, guilds are not allowed to attack each other! What would cause you to risk your guild, your family, just to attack us?!" Fairy Tail's master demanded, the building trembling with his rage.

"You honestly don't know? Even after all the time she spent in your guild, you never even suspected her origins?" Jose questioned. Makarov looked at him in confusion.

"What? Who are you talking about?" He asked but Phantom Lord's master simply shook his head.

"You'll find out soon enough." He said, his polite smile slowly shifting into a scowl. "Though now it's more than just about her, it's about what your guild members did to my people!"

"This attack was justified, you assaulted one of my children!" Makarov retorted.

"I'm not talking about this little spout between our guilds, I'm talking about what your Salamander did to one of my Element Four!" Jose shouted, shooting to his feet. He glared at the Fairy Tail master for a few moments before taking a deep breath, smoothing out a few wrinkles in his clothing.

"It doesn't matter, I'll be claiming my revenge soon enough on that miserable excuse of a mage." He said, sitting back down in his throne. "Right now though, it's time that this conversation came to an end. I was hoping that drawing you here would simplify matters, but it seems that I will have to take a more direct approach. Goodbye Makarov, the next time we see each other you will be underneath by boot."

"You're not going anywhere!" Makarov exclaimed reached out with a massive hand. But the limb sailed harmlessly through Phantom Lord's master, smashing the throne he was 'sitting' on. Makarov was so surprised by the illusion that he didn't even sense the power sneaking up on him, until it was too late.

 **-Back With Erza-**

"Come on Titania, is that really the best you've got?" Gajeel asked as he sauntered towards her, leisurely rolling his shoulders. Erza panted in exhaustion, slowly forcing herself to stand up.

The battle had been a vicious display of swordsmanship and brute strength, as the two had traded blows and tried to take down the other. Neither of them had taken any serious damage, only a few cuts and bruises, but she was beginning to run out of energy and Gajeel still had plenty in reserve.

Still she stood up, jabbing her blade towards his head. He easily dodged, swinging his sword hand at her. She blocked it, but the blow was stronger than she expected, stunning her. The dragon slayer used the opportunity to kick her in the chest, sending her flying backwards. She slammed into a wall, arching her in pain. Standing up again, she winced as her side protested at the movement. She ignored it though as she prepared to attack again.

'None of my attacks seem to have an affect on him, he just shrugs everything off!' She thought angrily. If she was honest with herself, she felt weak, and it pissed her off. She was an S-class mage, she should be able to beat someone like Gajeel. Lately it seemed like she was always too weak to fight anyone, Natsu, Mystogan, Deliora, and now Gajeel. Every time she fought she was swatted aside like a fly, like she was powerless. Suddenly the memory of her fight with Natsu flashed in her mind, and what he had said to her. ' _If you don't go all out against people than you won't get stronger. If you don't gain more power you can't protect the ones you love_.'

'I need to fight with all I have. I need more power.' She realized. But how? Before she could figure it out, the fight was interrupted.

Crash! Everyone turned to look as a figure appear from the second floor, hurtling towards the ground below. With a loud boom, the person slammed into the floor, shaking the foundation of the building. Erza was the first to reach the figure, gasping as she realized that it was Makarov. He was deathly pale, his entire body shaking with pain.

"I can't feel my magic." He managed to get out through clenched teeth.

'Master Makarov... lost.' She realized in shock. The strongest mage she knew, and who she considered to be a surrogate father, was lying before her, broken, and defeated.

'I can't lose myself in my emotions.' She reminded herself, pushing her shock away. Gently scooping the master in her arms, she turned to her stunned guildmates.

"Everyone, fall back! Jet, take the master to Porlyusica's!" She ordered. He was next to her in a flash, gently taking the master before disappearing again. The rest of the guild hesitated for a moment before they began making their way to the exit, fighting anyone who tried to stop them and trying to ignore the jeers of the Phantom Lord members.

"We can't just fall back!" Gray protested, walking up to Erza. She blasted a group of enemies before turning to him.

"Without the master, we don't stand a chance against Phantom Lord. We need to pull back and figure out a new strategy." She explained sternly. She needed him to understand

"But what about avenging Mystogan? What about beating up whoever did this to the old man? What about paying them back for Fairy Tail?" He demanded. She grabbed his shoulders, looking him in the eye.

"We'll do all those things, but the Master is hurt. Our top priority is making sure that everyone makes it out of here in one piece. Please Gray, I need your help." She asked, begged, him. He stared at her in surprise before slowly nodding.

"Alright Erza, whatever you say." He mumbled, turning and heading for the exit. She stayed behind for a moment, checking for any stragglers, before she too started making her way to the doorway. As she left, she heard Gajeel call out to her.

"See ya Titania, it was a blast beating the crap out of you. When you see Salamander, send him my regards and tell him we'll be seeing each other again real soon!"

She ignored him, walking out of the guild hall and towards her guild mates. As they came together and began the trip to Fairy Tail, she decided something.

'I need to know what happened between Gajeel and Natsu, I need to know the truth.'

 **-At the same time-**

"I swear Lucy, you're heavier every time I carry you." Natsu muttered, shifting the blonde in his arms to a more comfortable position.

' **Commenting on a woman's weight, way to go.** ' Etherious said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"It's not like she's awake to hear me." The dragon slayer retorted, ducking under a branch. He had been walking through the woods for the past couple of minutes, making his way to Porlyusica's hut. He wasn't using his flames like he had with Mystogan because, to be honest, he didn't trust them to remain stable. He was still upset about what he had done to Sol, and his flames would be as wild as his emotions. That left him with carrying an unconscious Lucy through the forest so Porlyusica could take a look at her.

' **I told you, there's no reason to be so upset about what happened to the mud man, he had it coming.** ' His companion argued.

'Maybe he did, but that doesn't mean that I should have been the one to kill him. Mystogan was right when he said that I shouldn't become what I'm trying so hard to fight.' The dragon slayer protested, remembering his confrontation with the masked mage before their trip to Galuna Island.

' **Sometimes you have to become a more terrifying monster than the one you want to kill.** ' Etherious suddenly said, his voice distant as if he was remembering something long forgotten.

'Who taught you that?' Natsu asked angrily.

' **I don't know!** ' The voice cried in anguish. ' **I don't remember! All I can remember is that it's important to me!** '

Natsu winced as he felt his companion's grief. In his anger, he had forgotten that Etherious didn't remember anything. All he had was his personality and the memories he had borrowed from his host.

'Etherious, I'm-' The dragon slayer began but his partner cut him off.

' **Forget it, it's not important.** ' He said flatly.

'But it is, this is your life we're talking about! What if you have a family that's looking for you? We don't even know how you ended up inside my mind, what if your memories can tell us what happened?' Natsu asked.

' **How are we even supposed to get my memories back?** ' Etherious demanded. ' **We don't know anything about me, I'm just a random voice that showed up inside your mind with no memory of who I am. And even if I somehow find my memories, nothing will change. I'll still be stuck inside your head, unable to talk to my family, unable to use magic, unable to do anything except watch you relive your life!** '

Natsu frowned in confusion, wishing he could look at his companion.

'What's wrong with you? So you may be stuck inside my head, but at least you'll know who you are, who your family is, why you showed up. Who knows, you may even know the spell that will pull you out of my head. How will we know if we don't even try?' He demanded. He walked in silence for a few minutes, waiting for Etherious' reply. It didn't make sense for him to be against getting his memories back.

' **Just because I want it, it doesn't mean that I'll like what I get.** ' Etherious suddenly said, and before Natsu had a chance to ask him what he meant, he withdrew into his hiding place.

'What is with him?' The dragon slayer wondered, but he didn't have much time to ponder on it. After another minute or so of walking, he finally arrived at Porlyusica's hut. He didn't even bother knocking on the door this time, he just opened it and walked in. Mystogan was still passed out on the bed, so Porlyusica was the only one who reacted to his sudden entrance.

"Where are your manners brat? You don't just walk into someone's home like that!" She exclaimed.

"Sorry Porlyusica, but I have another one for you." He said, motioning to Lucy. The medicine healer clicked her tongue in displeasure but she walked over to the bed, gently moving her first patient over.

"Alright, put her down next to him. They might be uncomfortable when they wake up, but that's not my problem." She said, waving a hand to the bed. Natsu set the blonde next to Mystogan, making sure they were both comfortable and covered by the blanket.

"What happened to her?" Porlyusica asked as she began taking Lucy's pulse. The dragon slayer sighed, sitting down on a nearby stool.

"Phantom Lord tried to kidnap her, knocking her out with a bubble of water. Thankfully I managed to get there in time and rescue her. There was a short fight, but I don't know if she was hurt during it." He explained, wincing as the memory of Sol's torched body flashed in his mind.

"What does Phantom Lord want with the girl?" She asked, glancing at him just as he schooled his features. Natsu debated on whether or not to tell her the truth, but he knew she could keep a secret.

"Her asshole of a father hired them to kidnap her and return her to him so he could marry her off to help his business." He said, scowling in anger.

"Well, it's a good thing you were there to rescue her, though I'm surprised that none of the others heard the commotion." She commented, turning back to her patient.

"I'm the only one in town besides Mira, everyone else is busy taking the fight to Phantom Lord. They're probably…" He trailed off as another memory floated to the surface, of a broken and defeated Makarov, lying on the floor of the Phantom Lord guild.

"Shit!" Natsu cried, startling Porlyusica.

"Watch it brat, you'll give me a heart attack!" She exclaimed but he didn't notice her, grabbing Mystogan's staff and running outside.

'I completely forgot about the old man!' He chided himself. He had been so caught up in everything that he had forgotten what was happening over at Phantom Lord. Pointing the staff into the sky, he tried to channel his magic into it. Instead of producing wind however, his hand burst into flame. Cursing, he quickly put it out, glaring at the piece of wood in his hand.

'How the hell am I supposed to use this thing?' He thought desperately. Mystogan had never let Natsu use his staffs, mainly because of how destructive the dragon slayer was. But right now the pinkette had to learn how to use it, and fast.

' **Calm down and think about the time you were in Edolas, when you used the magical item.** ' Etherious reminded him, emerging from his hiding place. Natsu took a deep breath, feeling himself relax.

'Thanks Etherious, that helped.' He said before focusing on the staff again. This time, instead of trying to give it magic, he felt for the magic that was already inside it. Finding it, he pulled some of it out and sent it hurtling into the sky, in the direction of the Phantom Lord guild. It flew for a mile or two before Natsu lost control of it, causing it to fall apart.

'Damn it, I can't use this as well as Mystogan can.' He cursed before running back towards the hut. He burst in again, ignoring Porlyusica's exclamation of surprise, and rushed over to the bed. When he got there he went over Lucy, grabbing Mystogan and lifting him out of the cot.

"Hey brat, what are you doing with my patient?!" Porlyusica shouted.

"Saving the old man!" He replied, running outside. As he did he gently slapped the masked mage's cheek.

"Hey Mysty, it's time to wake up." He said, urging his friend awake. After a few tense moments, Mystogan's right eye flickered open while the left one remained shut. Natsu stared at it for a moment before he pushed his concern away, their were more important matters at hand, such as helping his friend stand up.

"What did you do this time Natsu?" He asked, struggling to his feet. The dragon slayer kept him steady, making sure he was standing straight before he let him go.

"What says it's my fault?" He asked, grinning at his friend.

"Because the last time you woke me up, you had set a town on fire." The masked mage reminded him, taking his staff from his companion. Natsu laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"I told you, that wasn't my fault. Besides, it wasn't like anyone was living in that town, it was completely abandoned." He protested.

"And this time isn't your fault either I bet." Mystogan said, smiling. The dragon slayer grew serious as he motioned to the sky.

"The old man had his power sucked out by Aria, on of the Element Four. It's in the wind, and I'm not powerful enough to grab it." He explained hurriedly.

"And you need me to pull the magic back." The S-class mage added. Before Natsu could say anything, Porlyusica spoke up.

"You're not using any magic right now brat, you're going to go back inside and rest like a patient should." She said, walking outside.

"If I don't do this, than Master Makarov may die." He retorted. She put her hands on her hips, glaring at him.

"Makky has survived much worse than having his power stolen, but I can't say the same for you if you don't start listening to me." She threatened, pointing her broom menacingly. Mystogan gave her an apologetic smile, raising his staff into the sky.

"Sorry Grandine, but I have a duty as a Fairy Tail member." He said, unleashing his magic. Wind exploded into the sky, flying in every direction. As it did, he winced in pain, clutching his chest. Natsu and Porlyusica both took a step towards him, looking at him in concern.

"I'm fine." He assured them, placing both hands on his staff. He pushed more magic out, sending the wind even farther outward. "This Aria must be an accomplished wind mage, he spread the master's power all across Fiore."

"Can you grab it all?" Natsu asked but the masked mage shook his head, a bead of sweat running down his face.

"Some of it's already gone, but the rest is recoverable. The problem is bringing it all together." He said, swinging the staff in a circle. The wind whistled through the trees, slowly blowing faster and faster. It slowly began to come together, forming a raging tornado in the sky. Suddenly it exploded, dispersing into nothingness. Mystogan sighed tiredly, leaning against his staff.

"I did what I could, now it's up to the master." He said before he collapsed. Natsu caught him before he fell, gently propping him up.

"That fool, he's going to get himself killed one of these days. And you're not helping matters either." Porlyusica said, turning to the dragon slayer.

"In my defense, it was important that he did that." He said, grinning sheepishly. She glared at him for another moment before sighing in exasperation.

"Just bring him inside." She said, turning around and walking inside.

"You got it Granny!"

"I told you to stop calling me that!"


End file.
